Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior Reborn
by Resurrector of the Dead
Summary: DEAD**Continued from Trooper 1023. Youma have been attacking everywhere, and Ranma needs to be stronger - can he become the Ultimate Warrior for the Ultimate Crisis?
1. Chapter 1: A Monkey Paw Wish

Disclaimer: All characters and concepts in this story are owned and copyrighted   
  
by their respective creators. They DO NOT belong to me. I'm just barrowing them.  
  
Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior  
  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon crossover (primary)  
  
- Multiple Anime crossover (secondary)  
  
Co-Written by Trooper1023 and Ranechi  
  
Based on original story idea, "The Super Ranma", by Piccolo181  
  
View at: http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/idea.htm  
  
=text= is transmissions (long-distance communicators)  
  
[text] is sounds/actions  
  
*text* is emphasized words  
  
~text~ is thoughts  
  
Timeline: This story begins a few months after both the Ranma 1/2 and Sailor   
  
Moon mangas end.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Part I: When in Need of a Warrior  
  
Chapter 1: A Battle Lost and a Monkey Paw Wish  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
"AIYA! AIREN HURT!"  
  
"KILL THAT THING RAN-CHAN!"  
  
"GET OUT OF THERE! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING MORE!"  
  
"LOOK OUT!!!"  
  
Ranma twisted in mid-air at the last instant, grateful for Ryoga's warning.   
  
Ignoring the shouts from Shampoo, Ukyo, and the Sailor Senshi, he dodged   
  
another swipe from the giant youma and back flipped for some much-needed   
  
space. Gathering all the ki he could, Ranma threw one last "MOKO TAKABISHA!"   
  
at the beast's face. Ryoga, injured but not out of the fight, followed suit   
  
with a "SHI SHI HOUKODAN!" also aiming for the head. Just as the two ki-blasts   
  
hit, "SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!" "BURNING MANDELA!" "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"   
  
three more attacks slammed into the youma's chest. The massive explosion   
  
overrode its scream of pain and it fell through the wall behind it.  
  
Falling to his knees in exhaustion, Ranma looked past the collapsed wall. ~No   
  
movement. Good, looks like it's finally over...~ He staggered back to his feet   
  
and...  
  
[GLOMP]  
  
"You jackass! Don't go scaring me like that ever again!" Ukyo had tears in her   
  
eyes as she latched on to Ranma.   
  
[GLOMP]  
  
"Shampoo agree with Spatula Girl! Airen give Shampoo big scare!" Shampoo was in   
  
about the same state and hugged Ranma tightly.  
  
"OOF! Hey, leggo! I need to breathe!" Ranma grunted. Both girls blushed and   
  
let go. Ryoga scowled; as usual, Ranma got all the girls' attention.  
  
Around them, other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew began to collect   
  
themselves. Several of the Sailor Senshi came toward Ranma. In the lead,   
  
Sailor Moon spoke. "Again, we want to thank you for your help. We don't   
  
usually accept help from non-Senshi, but you," she indicated the Wrecking Crew   
  
in general, "were a *BIG* help." Looking at the limping Ryoga specifically,   
  
Moon asked, "Are you sure you won't let Saturn take a look at that leg?"  
  
Ryoga shook his head, grinning and wincing at the same time. "Don't worry   
  
about me. The poor girl looks like she could sleep for a week. My leg will   
  
heal fast enough on its own. Besides, this pigtailed hotshot has done worse to   
  
me before," Ryoga remarked as he swatted said 'pigtailed hotshot' across the   
  
back of the head.  
  
Sailor Moon replied, "That's good to hear."  
  
Ranma on the other hand snarled as he almost lost his balance. "It won't heal   
  
at *all* if you keep swatting me pig-boy!" Akane, approaching Ryouga,   
  
sweatdropped as the bickering continued.  
  
Sailor Moon went on anyway, "Well gang, it's time to clear out. I sincerely   
  
hope that--" A scream of warning and a blood-curdling roar cut her off. Ranma   
  
could hear the youma they thought they'd killed pounding across the pavement   
  
straight at their position. The Senshi scattered, but their magic-based powers   
  
included fast recovery that the Nerimaian martial artists didn't have. They were   
  
caught flat-footed and Ryoga took the first hit, going down hard. Ranma shoved   
  
Akane, Ukyo, and Shampoo out of the away with what little strength he had left   
  
just before a huge, bony fist turned his day to night.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ranma cracked an eye open. It was obviously the dead of night, and he was   
  
lying on a futon in his room. His entire body, especially his back and head,   
  
ached to a degree he didn't think possible. With a groan he pulled himself   
  
upright.  
  
"Can you travel, boy?" a low voice asked.  
  
Whirling to face his father, Ranma screamed, "TRAVEL!?! NOW?! Pops--"  
  
Genma clapped his hand over his son's mouth and whispered frantically, "Quiet   
  
boy! I won't have you waking up the entire house! We have to get out of Nerima   
  
before sunrise." Genma removed his hand when he was sure that Ranma wouldn't   
  
yell again.  
  
"NANI?!? But Pops!"  
  
Genma winced at the volume of his son's voice. "We won't be gone more than two   
  
weeks, so calm down."  
  
Ranma almost facefaulted. "Calm DOWN?! In two weeks... Kami-sama, we could   
  
lose *everyone* in two weeks!"  
  
Genma looked mournful. "I know son. We should have left sooner."  
  
"Pops..."  
  
"'Pops' nothing! Grab you pack and lets move. The sooner we leave the sooner   
  
we get back." That said, Genma leapt from the open window, his own travel bag   
  
on his back. Ranma grabbed what he could and followed his father into the   
  
night, hoping to all the gods there ever were that he wasn't making a huge   
  
mistake.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The next morning...  
  
"DAD!! Where's Ranma and Genma?! They aren't outside *or* in their room!"   
  
Akane's panicked scream ripped through the house, startling Nabiki awake. With   
  
a sinking feeling, the middle Tendo daughter barreled out of her room, still   
  
in her nightclothes, and down to the main room.  
  
Akane was truly terrified now. Ranma, her friend and more importantly the   
  
most powerful martial artist in Tokyo and possibly Japan or even the whole   
  
world, had gone missing with his father! And Akane's own father was *calm*!   
  
~He hasn't been like this since Mom was alive...~ "Dad?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Genma told me that he and Ranma will be gone for the next one to two weeks,"   
  
Soun responded.  
  
[THUD] [THUD] Akane and Nabiki picked themselves up from twin facefaults and   
  
screamed simultaneously, "NANI?!? THEY *RAN*!?!"  
  
"No," Soun answered calmly. "Daughters, you must not tell anyone the true   
  
reason they left, and I mean *anyone*! During our training, Genma discovered   
  
something that he told me about much later. While away from the Master, he   
  
found a genuine wish-granting monkey paw."  
  
Again the sound of two bodies hitting the floor. "NO WAY!! You can't expect us   
  
to believe that?!" cried Nabiki as she picked herself up again.  
  
Kasumi barely managed to whisper "Oh my!"  
  
Soun began talking again. "Yes, I do expect you to believe it, because you   
  
have already seen the Wish-Bringer sword, a comparatively low-level item.   
  
Genma is taking his son to the place he hid the monkey paw to have a wish   
  
granted. The wish will help us beat back these attacks that are terrorizing   
  
the city and discover who is behind them. Genma did not say what the wish was,   
  
but both he and I have had a long-standing oath about wish-granting items, so   
  
I know he will not waste it."  
  
Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi sat in stunned silence. None of them had ever   
  
imagined that *Genma* of all people would accept an agreement like that.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
Kami-sama chuckled, his eye on the exchange in the Tendo home. Those girls   
  
were right, of course. Uninfluenced, Genma would *not* have accepted that   
  
agreement, and he would have wasted the wish that would become the key to   
  
saving his world.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
Suddenly Akane spoke. "Dad, didn't you once tell me that a true martial artist   
  
is always prepared, for *anything*?"  
  
Soun actually smiled. "Yes I did Akane."  
  
Akane continued, "So to be prepared for a situation like this... you keep a   
  
wish-granting item stored away, since wishes can do just about anything!"  
  
"I'm impressed sis," Nabiki said with a small amount of sarcasm. "That was   
  
some real thinking there."  
  
"Gee, thanks a lot Nabiki!" Akane growled back.  
  
Soun lowered his head for a minute, then raised it slowly. "Genma believed   
  
they should have left a lot sooner, but it doesn't matter now. What does   
  
matter is that Nerima is now without their assistance. Akane, I'm going to   
  
pick up your training very heavily. You have a lot of potential, but it is my   
  
fault that it is largely unrecognized. Kasumi, Nabiki, I don't want either of   
  
you going anywhere alone; always go with at least two other people, if not   
  
more. Tell all your friends and acquaintances to do the same. Akane, that also   
  
goes for you even though you are training to be an excellent martial artist.   
  
Remember, even Ranma can no longer take these youma down by himself, so don't   
  
do anything foolish. Understand?" The three girls nodded with an air of   
  
seriousness. "Good. Now the wait begins. May the Kami guide Ranma's path."  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
Several kilometers outside Tokyo, on a little used forest path...  
  
A certain pigtailed martial artist sneezed, interrupting his father's rant.   
  
"Sorry 'bout that, Pops."  
  
Genma sighed and began speaking again. "Ranma, what happened yesterday is a   
  
sign. You and the Sailor Senshi thought the demon had been defeated, but it   
  
hadn't... and all *you* could do to help was push the three girls out of the   
  
way. These demons are now beyond your ability to beat them one-on-one. The one   
  
you fought yesterday was defeated when Cologne trapped it with some Amazon   
  
technique and everyone still conscious hit it with every attack they had." Ranma   
  
ground his teeth together in frustration and his hands closed into fists. "We   
  
*must* level the battle field! Ryoga is now in the hospital and we will *all*   
  
join him, permanently too, if we can't find a very powerful warrior to handle   
  
these youma and daemons. They are getting stronger with every fight, and martial   
  
artists aren't normally equipped and trained to deal with this kind of threat.   
  
The only reason you and Ryoga have been as successful as you have is because you   
  
two are so powerful. However, these youma are quickly growing in power, and soon   
  
only those with enough power *AND* the training of a true warrior will be able   
  
to defeat them. And no, the Sailor Senshi, while quite powerful, don't have the   
  
proper training. In fact, I don't think they have any real training at all."  
  
"Pops, what's the big difference between a warrior and a martial artist? I   
  
don't see it."  
  
"Ok boy, look at it this way: a martial artist is a fighter trained for   
  
honorable combat against *opponents*. 'Honorable' means several things, most   
  
important of all is no deliberate killing. Martial artists are trained to   
  
defeat, but not kill, other martial artists for the purposes of superiority   
  
and status, either for one's self or for one's school."  
  
"A warrior is very similar to a martial artist, with one fundamental   
  
difference: a warrior is a fighter trained for *all-out* combat against   
  
*enemies*. Warriors are trained to defeat and if necessary *kill* other   
  
warriors for one of two sets of purposes. Either it is for *defense* of one's   
  
self, one's family, or one's country, or it is for *conquest* for one's self,   
  
one's family, or one's country."  
  
"Ranma, I have raised and trained you to bring honor to the Saotome School of   
  
Anything Goes Martial Arts. And you have done that with spectacular success!"   
  
Ranma was stunned at his father's unashamed confirmation of his skill. Then   
  
Genma's face fell, and the skin on the back of Ranma's neck began to prickle.   
  
"Unfortunately, your training has left you unprepared to deal with these   
  
demons that are terrorizing Tokyo. I trained you to defeat without killing   
  
*human* opponents. These are hell-spawned beasts that you are fighting, and to   
  
win when you do *NOT* have a significant raw power advantage requires a   
  
different philosophy, the path of the warrior. That path is focused on landing   
  
crippling, lethal blows with maximum efficiency. It also recommends fighting   
  
with a weapon." Genma look directly into his son's eyes. "Now do you   
  
understand?"  
  
Ranma nodded, deep in thought. "Yea Pops, I get it." Then his face firmed and   
  
his voice went cold. "Now tell me what's so important that we gotta *abandon*   
  
Nerima, just like that!" he growled menacingly.  
  
"Son," Genma said in a flat voice. "We left Nerima to retrieve an artifact   
  
that I've hidden. If I use it right, you will gain all the warrior training   
  
and power you need to defend your family, friends, and home."  
  
Ranma stopped dead in his tracks, staring at his father in total shock. Genma   
  
grabbed his arm and started pulling him along. Ranma, stumbling before he   
  
regained his balance, muttered, "Me? But Pops... me?"  
  
"Yes son. I'm too far past my prime to make the best use of this opportunity.   
  
You however... when this is done, you will be the ultimate warrior, for the   
  
ultimate crisis." Genma seemed to draw himself up. "Now pick up the pace boy!   
  
It's a five-day trip to get there. I don't know how long the wish will take to   
  
complete it's effect, so the sooner we get to it the sooner it will be done."  
  
"Whoa, wait one fuckin' second! A *wish*? A *WISH*?! And you haven't used it   
  
to feed your fat gut all ready!? I don't believe it!"  
  
[WHAM] [THUMP] "Get up boy." Ranma shot to his feet and was about to hit Genma   
  
back when the older man spoke again. "You really *should* be more respectful   
  
to your father. Soun and I made an agreement when we were younger, to only use   
  
a high-level wish-granting item like the one I found after *VERY* careful   
  
thought to the wish itself, and only when in the most dire circumstances."  
  
Ranma's jaw dropped open. *This is just too much. Pops actually *not* taking   
  
the quick route when it's right there in front of him!* He laughed humorlessly   
  
and said, "It really is the end the world as we know it."  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
This time Kami-sama broke into full-blown laughter.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
"Ranma, you *will* respect me more than you do. There are a lot of things I've   
  
done that I'm not proud of..."  
  
"No, *REALLY*!?! I can list about five hundred of 'em!"  
  
Genma continued, "...But this I am doing for *far* more than just myself."  
  
"So you're saying I should be grateful that you're giving me this gift--"  
  
"No Ranma. The power you will gain from this wish is a gift, yes. However, the   
  
responsibilities of a warrior are *not* a gift, but a burden; my son, you must   
  
understand that. Once trained in the way of the warrior, you will *NEVER* be   
  
the same again. You will have a completely different outlook on life, simply   
  
because you will have the power to take that life away. This is *your* choice;   
  
I will not force it on you. Of course, you do know that there is no one else   
  
that I would possibly trust enough to try something like this."  
  
Ranma was silent for the following hour, lost in thought. Finally, he said,   
  
"Father? I accept."  
  
"I knew you would make the right choice, my son."  
  
"Now Pops, what's the actual wish?"  
  
"Well I've been thinking of something along the lines of..."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The first week...  
  
The days passed at an agonizingly slow rate. Akane sat in class next to her   
  
new friend Makoto Kino. The tall brunette and four of her friends were now   
  
going to Furinkan High, as were many other 'refugees' from Juuban. After   
  
accidentally discovering her friend's secret identity as Sailor Jupiter during   
  
a youma attack, Akane convinced her father to start giving martial arts   
  
lessons to Makoto and her friends -also Sailor Senshi- in secret. Her own   
  
training was progressing well, but not nearly fast enough to change anything.  
  
A lot of Nerima residents had grown cynical at Ranma's departure. Even though   
  
Akane and Nabiki did everything they could to convince people that Ranma and   
  
Genma had left only to find assistance in fighting the youma, many people,   
  
especially Ranma's rivals, believed that he was a coward, only now showing his   
  
true colors. Eventually the two sisters simply stopped trying, content to wait   
  
for Ranma's return.  
  
Thinking back to the previous month, Akane recalled the day the crisis began.   
  
She had been leading Ranma-chan around a huge new mall that had opened in   
  
Juuban the previous week. While the redhead complained, Akane was enjoying   
  
some shopping at brand new stores that were overflowing with the latest and   
  
hottest stuff. After spending several hours there Akane was finished, and   
  
Ranma was ready to tear her hair out from boredom. Just when she was about   
  
ready to stir up some trouble herself, a *big* youma erupted from the ground   
  
behind them. Of course, Ranma-chan immediately sprung into action. What scared   
  
Akane was that the youma moved fast enough to swat Ranma out of the air! By   
  
the time she'd dug Ranma-chan out of the rubble of the wall she'd been knocked   
  
through, the Sailor Senshi had arrived and were fighting the youma. Akane had   
  
seen enough of the Senshi's exploits on TV to know when something was wrong,   
  
and the fact that this one youma was holding its own against *all* the Inner   
  
Senshi definitely classified as 'wrong'! Even when Ranma got her act together   
  
the youma wouldn't stay down; it wasn't until Sailor Saturn arrived, with her   
  
Silence Glaive, that the youma was finally defeated. Afterward, Sailor   
  
Mercury's check of her computer's records identified the youma as super-  
  
charged with far more power than what they normally encountered.  
  
That attack was the first of many. As the battles, mostly nighttime, became   
  
more and more difficult for the Sailor Senshi, the Nerimaian martial artists,   
  
often Ranma or Ryoga, began to appear more and more often in Juuban to help   
  
the Senshi. The local papers had been flooded with articles, a few detailing   
  
what little was known about the mysterious and powerful teenagers that were   
  
assisting the Sailor Senshi, the rest just throwing questions around. Then   
  
attacks began to happen in Nerima, and the newspapers got an eyeful from   
  
Nabiki. What seemed like a terrible idea quickly became very profitable, as   
  
Nabiki hired herself out to several papers as a freelancing reporter, stating   
  
that: "Your average reporter wouldn't live ten seconds here in Nerima, so   
  
you'd better let me cover the fights." Nabiki's publicity stunt got the entire   
  
Wrecking Crew involved in fighting off the youma attacks, and the Sailor   
  
Senshi, while unsure at first, soon welcomed the assistance. The increase in   
  
firepower on the good guys' side did put a stop to the attacks' advances...   
  
temporarily. Then the attacks suddenly jumped in effectiveness, causing mass   
  
panic in Juuban. Trying to restore peace, the Japanese government called in   
  
the military to begin their own war against the attackers, whoever they were.  
  
The military was ineffective for a time, until one brilliant soldier, out of   
  
ammunition and grenades, improvised with an insulated hose and a tank of   
  
liquid nitrogen. The flash-frozen daemon went down quickly, and convinced the   
  
Japanese government that more unconventional weapons were required. The   
  
military units in Tokyo were quickly supplied with a number of experimental   
  
weapons; flame-throwers and the newly invented 'freeze-throwers', sonic   
  
weapons, and lasers, to name a few. Some were effective, others not so, but   
  
they did help to lighten the load on the "Tokyo Defenders", as the newspapers   
  
called the alliance of the Sailor Senshi and the Nerima Wrecking Crew.  
  
Unfortunately, the youma eventually developed resistance to most of the   
  
military's weaponry. Their hides became partially mirrored, diffusing or even   
  
deflecting laser beams. The youma and especially the daemons became immune to   
  
the extremes of temperature the flame- and freeze-throwers created. However,   
  
these weapons remained effective when used together to create a huge   
  
difference in temperature, as did the sonic 'cannons', which caused a massive   
  
amount of vibration in their target, literally shaking it apart.  
  
With their effectiveness down again, the Japanese military began evacuating   
  
parts of Tokyo, especially Juuban; the attacks seem to be focused around that   
  
district, though they were spreading steadily into others. The youma and   
  
daemons were still growing in strength, making the situation even more   
  
desperate for the Tokyo Defenders.  
  
By now, *all* of the Defenders were copying Ranma's style of mostly dodging   
  
and counterstriking in combat. The youma had grown too powerful for any other   
  
tactic, and it took a combined attack from the entire Wrecking Crew to take   
  
one out permanently. The Sailor Senshi were slightly better off, since their   
  
magic attacks did more damage to the Negaverse drones. Also in the Defenders'   
  
favor was that super-charging the youma for the attacks seemed to be very   
  
costly, as they only attacked about once every four days and with one or at   
  
most two youma. The more-powerful daemons were rarer, joining only every other   
  
attack and with only one daemon at a time. Still, this number of attacks was far   
  
higher than what the Senshi were used to dealing with.  
  
The streets were no longer even remotely safe at night. The 'Dead Zone', the   
  
part of Tokyo where no sane human went for fear of disappearing, continued to   
  
grow.  
  
Akane sighed, feeling depressed. Attacks continued to come about twice a week,   
  
and the youma were even harder to put down without Ranma there. Fortunately,   
  
Ryoga was managing to stick around and not get lost. With his help, Akane was   
  
getting better at ki manipulation, as was Ukyou. Somehow, she and the chef had   
  
become close friends, a *lot* closer than they'd ever been before. And that was   
  
in spite of the fact that Ukyo was a better fighter too. In a few more days,   
  
Ukyo would be ready for Cologne to teach her the Chestnut Fist. Speaking of the   
  
Amazon Matriarch, Cologne was beginning to join the fights now, and Happosai   
  
too.  
  
Word of the crisis in Tokyo was spreading. All ready, several people Ranma had   
  
encountered in his travels and fights had come to the Japanese capital to   
  
assist in repelling the demon attacks. Akane thought back to the most resent   
  
fight. The youma, cut up and tangled in chains but with a death grip on   
  
Mousse, was about to kill the near-sighted Amazon when a cry of "Kijin Raishu   
  
Dan!" cut the arm off the youma and released Mousse. At first Akane thought it   
  
was Genma returning with Ranma, but that hope was quickly dashed as Ryu Kumon   
  
leapt down from the roof he was on. Still, his arrival was a good thing. Ryu   
  
said that even though he had sealed the Yamasen-ken as was the agreement, he   
  
was pretty sure that the current situation would allow him to unseal those   
  
powerful techniques. Thus, another fighter joined the ranks of the Tokyo   
  
Defenders.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The night of the seventh day...  
  
"...I wish that my son Ranma is trained to be the best warrior and man in   
  
existence. A warrior that is unbeatable, wise and just. The best man, proud,   
  
honorable, gentle at peace, yet fierce to those who DARE to be his enemies."  
  
Ranma let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Genma had   
  
gotten the wish perfectly, right down to the letter. Ranma was certain that   
  
the parameters of the wish would allow him to live and love even with all the   
  
power and training he was about to receive. *Now to see if this 'monkey paw'   
  
does its job...*  
  
*GRANTED* said a voice in Genma's mind. "Granted..." he repeated. A spark of   
  
light appeared in the air, causing Ranma to look up--  
  
--only to fall backwards stiffly. Genma ran over to his son, demanding to know   
  
if something was wrong, but the pigtailed martial artist couldn't answer. His   
  
body was screaming in pain as he felt his very soul being separated into   
  
one... two... three... four... five pieces... then everything went dark.  
  
From Genma's viewpoint, the single spark of light split into five as a ball of   
  
white rose from Ranma's chest. The sparks began to circle the ball, and the   
  
pure whiteness began to separate into different colors: red, gold, green,   
  
blue, and black. Streamers of each color leapt from the ball to the sparks   
  
around it, and the ball began to shrink. Soon, five sparks of different colors   
  
floated above Ranma's comatose body. Then they faded from view, leaving Genma   
  
to pray that all was well.  
  
To be continued...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
There will be very little reference to the 'Sailor Moon' manga or anime; I   
  
know the characters pretty well, but I know next to nothing about the original   
  
storylines.  
  
Quoted directly from Piccolo181's posted idea: "Genma's wish is that Ranma   
  
is trained to be the best warrior and man in existence. A warrior that is   
  
unbeatable, wise and just. The best man, proud, honorable, gentle at peace,   
  
yet fierce to those who DARE to be his enemies. This could be granted from a   
  
number of sources: Marller, Goddess Helpline, etc. Though I'd prefer a monkey   
  
paw wish, because it would do more to explain the reasons for the next plot   
  
device. (power limitations and such) You see Genma is NONE of these things.   
  
And monkey paws (or similar magical objects, djin & such like) work by   
  
changing the wielder. Well, to change GENMA enough to inspire THAT kind of   
  
son.... It would probably take a team-up of the divine AND infernal hosts, and   
  
even then it would be iffy. So it affects Ranma himself. It splits up Ranma's   
  
soul into several pieces (leaving the original basically a shell) and sends   
  
them out to different realities alters them a bit so Ranma can reborn with   
  
different and BETTER fathers/sensei's until they reach a point that if they all   
  
remerged into one being the wish would be fulfilled." In effect, the monkey   
  
paw *is* changing Ranma's 'father' by having him raised under others.  
  
Update: 8/16/01  
  
Just a few small changes. Special thanks to Dragonlord for an idea about the   
  
background behind the story. I'll unveil it as the chapters progress.  
  
Update: 8/31/01  
  
One tiny change: the wish is granted seven days after Ranma and Genma left,   
  
not five.  
  
Update: 11/8/01  
  
Swapped Ukyo for Shampoo in the opening fight scene. The reason is in the   
  
other update, for Part 1-C.  
  
Update: 12/8/01  
  
Swapped Shampoo for Akane in the opening fight scene. Brought Akane into   
  
the scene a little bit later.  
  
Update: 1/24/02  
  
Changed number of attacks per week, slightly altered post-manga histories.  
  
C&C to: bjhaberman@prodigy.net  
  
website: http://Trooper1023.tripod.com/ 


	2. Chapter 2: The Birth of the Five

Disclaimer: All characters and concepts in this story are owned and copyrighted   
  
by their respective creators. They DO NOT belong to me. I'm just barrowing them.  
  
"Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior"  
  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon x-over (primary)  
  
- Multiple Anime x-over (secondary)  
  
Co-Written by Trooper1023 and Ranechi  
  
Based on original story idea, "The Super Ranma", by Piccolo181  
  
View at: http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/idea.htm  
  
=text= is transmissions (long-distance communicators)  
  
[text] is sounds/actions  
  
*text* is emphasized words  
  
~text~ is thoughts  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Part I: When in Need of a Warrior  
  
Chapter 2: The Birth of The Five  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Deep in the void, between the strands of time and space, a Being of pure   
  
blackness lurked. It had been sealed away in a dimension of pure energy for   
  
almost two millennia. The Being drew its power from the Void itself, and since   
  
it had been trapped in a place where there was no way to reach the Void, it had   
  
been weakening as time passed. Just when the Being had thought that it would   
  
fade away to nothingness, not be able to fulfill its purpose, an eruption of   
  
power from a lone dimension caught its attention.  
  
The Being knew this was the dimension that it had originally formed in and had   
  
been thrown from. Three different kinds of power were now radiating from that   
  
dimension, one of which the Being recognized as the same power that had been   
  
used against it. The power of the Crystal.  
  
The Being had formed from the Void of space, and had instinctively desired to   
  
destroy all things, leaving only the Void. Two millennia ago, the Being had   
  
encountered a solar system rich with power and life. Attacking, it sought to   
  
destroy the life, but the life fought back, trapping it and sealing it in the   
  
prison of energy that had held the being for so long.  
  
The imprisonment had, while weakening the Being and trapping it, shown it that   
  
other dimensions made of matter and energy existed, and that the Void existed   
  
mostly between them - and rarely within them. The Being had also learned of   
  
Time, and how the Void could also be found between its strands.  
  
The Being found it ironic that the same power that had trapped it had   
  
unknowingly *undone* what it had done two millennia ago. As for the other two   
  
powers...  
  
One power was a network of lines spanning that dimension. Once free, the Being   
  
had used those lines as a guide to find its way back. It had also used them to   
  
find the places where the Void could be found, allowing the being to strengthen   
  
again.  
  
The other power emanated from a single point, one single life. The Being   
  
shuddered at the potential that one life had within itself. While the Being was   
  
of the Void, this life was its antithesis. Were that life's potential to   
  
manipulate energy developed to its entirety, the Being would face a threat   
  
greater than what it had been *defeated* by before!  
  
On the other hand, the Being also realized that it was *far* more powerful now   
  
then it was then. Drawing on the Void between *all* dimensions yielded far more   
  
then drawing on the Void within one of them. Using that power, the Being peered   
  
through the walls of its domain. It wanted to see how the ones of darkness it   
  
had augmented were fairing against their personal enemy, the power of the   
  
Crystal, and the life that posed the Being so much threat. Fortunately, the   
  
Being had managed to keep the third power from interfering, so it had only to   
  
deal with these two...  
  
...One of which wasn't even there! The Being found no trace of its nemesis...   
  
no, there *was* a trace, make that five traces. Following the miniscule lines   
  
into the past, four of which led into other dimensions, the Being saw...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
On a futuristic Earth...  
  
Dende opened his eyes as Bulma and Vegeta's third child entered the world.   
  
This most recent vision was a confusing one. In it, the newborn, named Ranma by   
  
an adamant Bulma, was standing before him as a teenager. An aura of gold   
  
surrounded him, until all that could be seen was an outline. Suddenly the boy's   
  
outline was part of a circle of nearly identical outlines; besides gold, there   
  
were black, green, and blue outlines, and a red outline that seemed to be a   
  
female version of the rest. Then the outlines merged, leaving behind a single   
  
outline of the boy in pure white that rapidly faded from sight.  
  
The Kami Guardian of the Earth was puzzled by the vision. It lacked any   
  
feeling of wrongness... No, the vision seemed to be showing *destiny*! Dende   
  
decided not to tell anyone of his vision, allowing them to deal with it when   
  
the time came.  
  
Ranma was a very peculiar child right from the start. His eyes were the   
  
most distinctive, a deep blue-gray unlike his mother's ice blue or his   
  
father's coal black. His hair was black like his father's but soft like his   
  
mother's. Vegeta was pleased to note the tail, covered in black fur, on his   
  
second son and hoped that the boy's spirit would be that of a Saiyajin as   
  
well. The boy's face seemed to be the oddest thing about him; Vegeta swore   
  
that he could see only a few features of his own in his son, and even fewer of   
  
the boy's mother.  
  
Time passed and the newest member of the "Z-Family" grew...  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
The day Ranma turned five...  
  
"Are you sure Ranma?"  
  
"MOM!! I told you already, I grew my hair out because I wanted to put it in a   
  
pigtail!"  
  
"A braid? You realize boy, that a braid will give your enemy something to grab   
  
and pull on. A saiyajin should not give himself such an obvious weakness."  
  
Ranma rolled his eyes and sighed as his mother finished the braid. ~What's such   
  
a big deal about braiding my hair, anyway? It's not *that* unusual, is it?~   
  
"Come on, it'll be an extra challenge for me. I'll have ta be *real* fast so   
  
somebody doesn't grab my braid... right Pops?"  
  
Vegeta snarled angrily, "How many time do I have to tell you not to call me   
  
'Pops'?!"  
  
[Biiiiii] Ranma stuck his tongue out in response and prepared to run away,   
  
knowing that his father would explode. To his surprise, the former Saiyajin   
  
Prince only crossed his arms and smirked. ~I got a bad feeling about this...~   
  
thought Ranma.  
  
"I wouldn't be in such high spirits boy. Your training begins this afternoon."  
  
~I was right.~  
  
Six-year-old Bra came bounding down the stairs. "Finally! It's little bro's turn   
  
to get the boot for the next four months!" She turned and hollered back up to   
  
the second floor of the Capsule complex that served as the Brief's home. "Hey   
  
Trunks, Daddy's starting Ranma's training today!"  
  
"Oh really," said a voice from the front door.  
  
"Oh, hi Gohan! How's Videl and the brat?" asked Bra, stressing the word 'brat'.  
  
Son Gohan smiled. "They're both fine, though Pan will strangle you if she finds   
  
out you called her that. Where's Trunks, I got something for him."  
  
"TRUNKS!! THERE'S SOMETHING DOWN HERE YOU WANT, AND I'M ABOUT TO TAKE IT FOR   
  
THAT REMOTE YOU STOLE!" Everyone winced at the volume of Bra's yell.  
  
"Bra! What did I tell you about yelling in the house?" came Bulma's voice from   
  
the kitchen.  
  
"Um, not to."  
  
"THEN WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!?" Everyone winced again, though Bra had the   
  
decency to look sheepish. Finally Trunks came down from his room.  
  
"Jeez, you people are gonna bring the house down if you keep hollering like   
  
that." The fourteen-year-old purple haired half-saiyajin sighed, then noticed   
  
Gohan. "You've got the chip?" Gohan simply grinned. "Oh boy will this be fun.   
  
Lets get started." They headed for Bulma's research labs. Over his shoulder   
  
Trunks asked, "And what was that about Ranma's training?"  
  
"It starts today," said Vegeta simply.  
  
Trunks smirked and turned to Ranma. "Heh, good luck shorty. You're gonna need it   
  
if you wanna do as well as I did. Not that you will."  
  
"Why, you!" Ranma leapt at his big brother in a flying tackle. They wrestled   
  
around a bit, smirking at the other's effort, before Bulma recognized the   
  
commotion for what it was and scolded them both.  
  
Vegeta watched silently. ~My first and second children only showed basic   
  
interest in the fighting arts. I pray to the sun itself that my third will be   
  
different, a true heir.~  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
Vegeta's prayer was answered.  
  
Beginning with several months of survival training, something that he had seen   
  
Piccolo do to his students with great effect, Vegeta was surprised yet pleased   
  
to see Ranma take to the wilderness as if he'd been living there his whole life.   
  
Somehow the boy all ready had the survival instincts he needed. Ranma discovered   
  
his ki and began to use it in less time then anyone could have expected. His   
  
older brother Trunks had taken nearly four months to learn on his own what had   
  
taken Ranma only one!  
  
Then Vegeta began the combat training and got another surprise. Ranma progressed   
  
in his training at an astounding rate. Everything Ranma was taught was   
  
understood immediately and often mastered before the day was over. He seemed to   
  
know how to fight instinctively. Ranma was already incredibly agile, and only   
  
got faster and faster as time progress. Vegeta finally understood why Ranma had   
  
always been so good at games of evasion, like tag. The Art was in Ranma's very   
  
blood.  
  
Vegeta intended to keep his son's progress under wraps, but Bra got suspicious   
  
of the amount of time Vegeta spent with his third child and eventually decided   
  
to follow her father to the training grounds he was using to teach Ranma. She   
  
was instantly jealous of how fast Ranma learned, and from her the word spread.   
  
Trunks never thought he'd see the day when he would have to eat his own words,   
  
but that day came. Goku seemed to take it the best: "He's learning *that* fast?   
  
Sugoi! It'll be great to have someone new to spar with!"  
  
Several years passed and Ranma turned eight. The boy's fighting ability was   
  
increasing at an incredible rate; all ready Ranma was better than his sister.   
  
Apparently, Vegeta's second son *did* have the soul of a true Saiyajin.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
On a post-apocalyptic Earth...  
  
Kenshiro, the Fist of the North Star and master of the Hokuto Shin Ken, caught   
  
up with the band of raiders as they were slaughtering the people of one of the  
  
borderland towns. He was on the nearly impossible quest of finding a real heir   
  
to the school of the Great Bear Fist after having a very strange dream several   
  
months ago. Something about Fate and Destiny, the Chosen One, and training an   
  
heir...  
  
It was the previous day that he was told of a band of mutant raiders moving   
  
against another outlying town. He raced out to the borderlands, barely making   
  
it in time.   
  
After dispatching a number of raiders in rapid succession, Kenshiro saw a   
  
young boy with his black hair in a pigtail standing between one of the last   
  
raiders and a little blond girl. The boy, not more than seven, was tiny   
  
compared to the mutant raider, yet he showed no fear as he stood his ground.   
  
What happened next struck a cord in Kenshiro that hadn't been touched in a   
  
long time...  
  
The raider took one more step forward and the boy narrowed his eyes. A moment   
  
later he was in motion. Dashing forward, he twisted around a spear thrust from   
  
the raider, landed on the spear's shaft, ran up it onto the raider's arm, and   
  
drove a small dagger he got from somewhere into the raider's throat. All in a   
  
few short seconds. Leaving the bloodied dagger where it was, the boy kicked off   
  
the dead body and landed easily.  
  
Kenshiro knew the signs of the killer instinct very well, but never had he   
  
seen them in one so young. Another raider attacked the boy, not even giving   
  
second thought to what the boy had just done. The boy simply vaulted over the   
  
arc of the raider's sword and landed on the huge man's shoulders. From up there   
  
he threw a volley of punches down onto the raider's skull, crushing his neck   
  
down into his chest. Again he leapt from the dead body and back to the girl he   
  
was protecting. ~That boy...~ Kenshiro thought, ~...He must be the one, the   
  
heir I've been searching for...~  
  
The scream of the little girl brought Kenshiro's head up. A third raider had   
  
seen the boy kill two others and was on guard. Even as the boy, seeming to sense   
  
the new threat, turned to face the raider, he was slammed across the back of the   
  
head and knocked out. The girl screamed again when she saw what happened to her   
  
protector. Raising his club for the kill, the raider...  
  
...Died in a shower of blood as Kenshiro tapped a few tsubos. The Fist of the   
  
North Star paid no more attention to the bits of corpse that remained as he   
  
checked the boy. ~...No one as young as this would have the instinct for any   
  
other reason!~  
  
After clearing the town of any remaining raiders and making sure all the   
  
wounded were seen too, Kenshiro began asking questions about the black-haired   
  
boy. According to the townsfolk, the boy's name was Ranma. He had wandered in   
  
from the wastes on foot, badly dehydrated but still conscious. He recovered in   
  
an astoundingly short amount of time and was up and about within days. He   
  
quickly developed a reputation as "the kid who can do anything". Ranma had   
  
been seen jumping up into trees or onto other tall object to find things   
  
that people needed. While this in itself wasn't unusual, none of the townspeople   
  
had ever heard of a seven-year-old being *that* advanced in a Martial Art. Even   
  
more, Ranma had been seen practicing a style that no one was familiar with. When   
  
asked about where he learned it, Ranma just said, "I donno, I just keep   
  
practicing." Kenshiro shook his head and sighed as he listened to the little   
  
blond as she talked, starry-eyed, about the boy that had protected her from the   
  
raiders at risk to himself.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ranma woke up a day later, his injuries completely gone. As Kenshiro watched,   
  
he checked his wounds without even realizing it as he dressed. When he was   
  
done, Ranma turned his head to Kenshiro, who was standing just outside his   
  
room.  
  
~Amazing. He must have sensed my presence; I never made a movement or sound   
  
and yet he still knew I was there watching him.~ "Ranma, I presume?"  
  
He cocked his head to the side. "Yup, tha's me. Who's askin'?"  
  
Kenshiro held back a chuckle. ~This kid talks like a cocky teenager... I like   
  
him all ready.~ "My name is Kenshiro; I'm the one who killed most of the raiders   
  
that attacked yesterday. Let me ask you a question. What you did to those two   
  
raiders... how did you do it? Who taught you, if anybody?"  
  
Ranma was silent for several minutes. "Well... I donno. It's kinda like I just   
  
*know* how," he said finally.  
  
"Well Ranma, I have something to propose you. What you were using was--"  
  
"--Martial Arts." Ranma finished. "Yeah, I know."  
  
Kenshiro raised an eyebrow. "It seems that you know a lot about the Art. I can   
  
feel the focused way your ki flows through your body."  
  
"Ki is--oh yea, never mind." Ranma scratched the back of his head with one hand.   
  
"Whatever, I wanna hear that deal you had for me." Kenshiro grinned.  
  
(-1-check note at the end of this file--)  
  
"I want to know if you're interested in learning the style of Martial Arts I   
  
am master of. It is an Art devised some 2000 years ago on a little island near   
  
the coast of China. The first master of the style, Shuken, was taught this Art   
  
by God himself."  
  
Ranma stared at Kenshiro, shocked by the implications. "By God?" He asked.  
  
"That's right. With it you can destroy the body from the inside out using the   
  
708 hikous or tsubos. Eventually you can also heal even the most damaged of   
  
bodies with those same techniques, applied differently. Then there are other   
  
techniques of the school, as well as ways to use the body at its full   
  
capabilities."  
  
"What do you mean by full capabilities?" asked Ranma.  
  
"When you were fighting those riders before, I could feel you using your ki to   
  
boost your strength and speed. Is it right?" Ranma nodded after a moment.  
  
"By using your ki, you were boosting the strength of your body to almost   
  
superhuman levels. Well in this school, one of the basic teachings is to   
  
strengthen your body without using your ki. Generally a fighter, even if he is   
  
a martial artist, uses only thirty percent of his overall strength. However in   
  
our school we teach how to use the remaining seventy percent. This goes for   
  
speed, endurance, metabolism, healing factor, reflexes, and senses also. Of   
  
course, that's nothing more than the basics of the school."  
  
"Only the *basics*?!" Ken nodded. "Why are you telling me this?" asked Ranma   
  
after a few more moments.  
  
Kenshiro's gaze bore into Ranma. "In every generation the current master must   
  
train a pupil that will some day be the Heir and master of this school. Each   
  
master can only train one pupil in the full knowledge of the school because if   
  
he tries to train more than one in the full knowledge, the master would not be   
  
to be sure if both pupils are 'on the True Path of the Great Bear'. If either of   
  
two pupils, each with the full knowledge of the school, strays from the path   
  
then the world could be destroyed." He paused to let the boy have some time to   
  
think about this last piece of information. "I'm telling you all of this because   
  
I want to train you to become the next Heir."  
  
Ranma was speechless. Silence was the lord of the room for a long time. Ranma   
  
had expected something but this...  
  
"I-I... I donno what to say..." He said slowly.  
  
Kenshiro's expression was stern. "You must know that the training may be   
  
extremely dangerous and that at the end I may even erase the knowledge you   
  
gained if I find you abusing the power you will eventually have." He looked deep   
  
into the young boy's blue-gray eyes, his voice deadly, and Ranma *knew* the   
  
importance of his words. "I'm warning you that this training will be different   
  
from anything that you can imagine. I will be ruthless, even brutal. This   
  
knowledge has caused a lot of tragedies and the destinies of the Heirs of this   
  
school are all filled with blood and tears."  
  
He paused once again waiting for some reaction. Seeing nothing but seriousness   
  
in the seven-year-old, Kenshiro continued.  
  
"I'm giving you a choice. If you refuse I will take you to some friends that   
  
can help you in forming your own life." He paused. "The choice is yours. But   
  
remember that this knowledge is not a price or a privilege; it's a burden."  
  
Ranma stayed silent.   
  
This man was telling him that he could give him the chance to learn the   
  
greatest of all martial arts but the price would be in blood, tears and pain.   
  
But the choice was his; not something imposed. His.  
  
He looked into Kenshiro's eyes. Eyes that promised suffering but also a chance   
  
to find a destiny and to make a life only if he was ready to pay the price.  
  
~I could just go and do whatever I want, make my own life like Kenshiro   
  
said... but I feel like I *have* to do this... like I *want* to do this, but   
  
just can't remember. Could this training in the ultimate Martial Art... be my   
  
purpose? No, he said that the knowledge will be a burden--~ That train of   
  
thought stopped dead.  
  
Ranma had his answer. He made his choice.  
  
He stood up and followed the compulsion to bow to Kenshiro.   
  
He *knew* that he had just yielded control of his life to another, yet he also   
  
knew that it was for the best.  
  
"When do we start uh... sensei? And what's the name of our school?" He asked   
  
his new mentor.  
  
"We start as soon as your ribs have finished healing." He paused once again.   
  
"And the name of our style is the Hokuto Shin Ken - the North Dipper God   
  
Fist"  
  
(-1-end of noted section--)  
  
Kenshiro smiled to himself. ~The dream is starting to make sense now... I must   
  
be one of those picked to train the Chosen One...~  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
A hundred and fifty years earlier in history...  
  
In a valley somewhere north of Tokyo, in the last year of the Revolution, a   
  
five-year-old boy faded into existence on the rough ground of a dense forest. He   
  
pulled himself to his feet and took in his surroundings. The boy couldn't   
  
remember much about himself, just the name of the school of martial arts he was   
  
skilled in and a few special techniques, a few survival skills, and his given   
  
name: Ranma.   
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
One year later...  
  
The war was over. Kenshin Himura had sworn not to kill again. Now he was a   
  
simple vagabond, scared by the terrible war.  
  
Upon entering a little town north of Tokyo, Kenshin noticed that he was   
  
getting odd looks from an ever-increasing number of people. Listening closely,   
  
he could bits and pieces of whispered comments.  
  
"--he match the description people have given--"  
  
"--that? Who are you...!? It's him! It has to be!"  
  
"I believe that man with the sword is the one everyone has been talking about,   
  
the forest-dweller with red hair..."  
  
Kenshin stopped as he noticed that he was the center of attention. ~Obviously   
  
I resemble someone that these people consider both helpful and a nuisance.   
  
Maybe coming here wasn't such a great idea...~ He spun and--  
  
"Stop!" Huffing, an officer came running toward Kenshin. "You can't go walking   
  
around during the Meji era with that sword! I'm going to have to--"  
  
"Orooo..." And Kenshin started running. And the officer started yelling more and   
  
running after Kenshin. And the townsfolk started running too, after the police   
  
officer! He must be the forest-dweller, they thought collectively.  
  
Running harder, Kenshin headed for the nearby forest. None of the townspeople   
  
followed. However, the chase had attracted the notice of the local group of   
  
bandits. Thinking the one who had been giving them so much trouble lately had   
  
been spotted, a few bandits entered the forest in search of revenge.  
  
Of course, what are bandits to a former hitokiri, the Battosai at that? Kenshin   
  
dispatched his attackers with little difficulty.   
  
That night, Kenshin sat by a small campfire, brooding on his past. He turned   
  
from his meal for a second... and when he turned back the food was gone!   
  
"Oro?" Hearing a rustling in the bushes, Kenshin spun and spotted a little   
  
redhead running away from the clearing. ~A thief? Well, I'm game.~ Kenshin   
  
thought. He gave chase to the thief, and was surprised to find he was fast,   
  
nearly as fast as Kenshin himself! *Could this be the red-haired forest-person   
  
the townsfolk were talking of?*  
  
The thief, seeing he was unable to lose his pursuit on the ground, vaulted into   
  
the trees and kept going. Kenshin followed, his respect for the thief slowly   
  
growing. Eventually Kenshin cornered the thief against the base of a cliff   
  
without any kind of cover nearby to use to escape. It was at that point that   
  
Kenshin got his first good look at the "thief". The short redhead was nothing   
  
more than a six-year-old boy!  
  
Ranma was in a jam. Normally he'd just blast right through whoever had cornered   
  
him, but something he saw in the man's eyes that made him wary of trying any   
  
kind of stunt like he'd pulled on campers and bandits. That and the sword at the   
  
man's waist. Ranma saw a hardness in his eyes unlike anything he'd ever seen   
  
before. He shivered slightly.  
  
"You're hungry, aren't you?"  
  
Ranma started slightly at the soft, gentle voice of the man that had cornered   
  
him. It was not what he had been expecting. Gathering his courage again, Ranma   
  
said, "Yea, I'm pretty hungry. Sorry fer stealin' yur food."  
  
Kenshin chuckled. "It's all right, I can understand why you're hungry." The   
  
boy looked surprised. "Follow me back to my camp. I'd be happy to share the   
  
share my food with you."   
  
"Hey! I don't need no charity! I can do fine on my own!" Ranma growled.   
  
The vagabond smiled genuinely. "Oh, I insist. As a simple courtesy." And led   
  
the boy back to his camp.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Talking over dinner, Kenshin learned that the boy's name was Ranma and that   
  
he had no family or real home. Ranma learned to his shock that Kenshin was a   
  
former killer with a lot of blood on his hands. At first Ranma was a little   
  
afraid, but then Kenshin showed Ranma his sword. "What kind 'a sword is that?"  
  
"This is a sakabatou. Instead of having the sharp edge on the outside curve   
  
of the blade, the sharp edge is on the inside curve. The outside curve, the   
  
side of the blade that leads most attacks, is blunt. This is a sword that   
  
cannot kill. And I have taken an oath never to kill again." Kenshin's voice   
  
was flat.  
  
"Oh." Ranma felt somewhat better after that. He also felt that he could trust   
  
the older man. It made going to sleep easier.  
  
Kenshin himself was puzzled as to his own behavior. He had never opened up to   
  
anyone before, not even his old master, as much as he had done so with this   
  
young boy he had only just met. Something about Ranma reminded Kenshin very much   
  
of himself when he was young.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Kenshin had a lot to think about the next morning. He found an empty clearing   
  
and started a long sword kata, to clear his head so he could think. He never   
  
noticed Ranma watching him flow through the kata with interest.  
  
Eventually the one once known as Battosai finished his kata, and made his   
  
decision. He turned to go find the boy and found him at the edge of the   
  
clearing. "Ranma? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Oh nothing."  
  
"Well, I wanted to ask you a question. Would you be willing to come with me   
  
as I wander from place to place? I'm a vagabond after all."  
  
"Seriously? Cool!" Ranma was all too happy to agree. ~If I go with him, then   
  
maybe I can get him to teach me that sword style. And I thought *I* was fast!   
  
If he teaches me then I can get even faster! Besides, it'll be nice to have   
  
somebody to talk to. These woods are getting kinda lonely.~  
  
Kenshin was a little confused as to why Ranma was so enthusiastic, but he   
  
wasn't about to complain. ~If Ranma comes with me, I'll have to leave the   
  
hitokiri side of me behind if I don't want him to feel that kind of   
  
influence. This should help me find what's left of the peaceful person inside   
  
me.~  
  
Suddenly Ranma was on his feet, looking around. Kenshin didn't know why   
  
Ranma was suddenly acting like that until his danger sense went off. ~Ranma   
  
sensed the danger before I did! He's no ordinary boy...~  
  
It was the bandits that Kenshin had knocked out earlier, plus a few newcomers.   
  
An open brawl started almost immediately. Kenshin drew his sakabatou and   
  
slammed it into the stomach of one bandit in a single smooth motion. Turning,   
  
he hopped over another bandit's cane sword and brought his own weapon down on   
  
the man's head. Two more bandits fell just as quickly to Kenshin, but he   
  
remembered more attacking. Turning to face the others, Kenshin was surprised   
  
again to see two other bandits on the ground, larges bruises forming all ready.   
  
The boy was knocking bandits out cold with nothing more than his little fists!  
  
Slipping past a clumsily swung club, Ranma threw a volley of fast punches into   
  
the bandit's torso before jumping up and knocking the bandit onto his back with   
  
a flip-kick to the chin.  
  
~This... boy... knows Kempo like a master would! That isn't a style I'm familiar   
  
with, and it's very effective. I'll have to find out where he learned it.~   
  
Kenshin narrowed his eyes. ~Ranma is far too skilled for his age. The way he   
  
stole my food without my noticing him, the way he moves, and the fact that he's   
  
beating men four times his age and three times his size...~  
  
Landing easily on his feet, Ranma flipped Kenshin a cocky grin and said, "Piece   
  
'o' cake! I was just too good for them."  
  
"You are good Ranma, but too much pride will be your downfall. There *are*   
  
fighters who are as good if not better than you are."  
  
"Yea, I know, I know! I figured that out when I saw how fast *you* move."  
  
~So that's it.~ "If you are thinking what I think you are thinking, well, I   
  
can't promise anything. My art, the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, is made for killing.   
  
The only reason the techniques I use don't kill is because of my weapon."  
  
"Hey, a martial artist doesn't kill either. That doesn't mean I can't learn   
  
some of the speed techniques you use. Heh, if I got that fast..." Ranma laughed   
  
in a slightly disturbing manner.  
  
Kenshin sweatdropped. "Oro..."  
  
High noon. Together, two redheads walked on...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Sixteen years in the past, on the same day of Ranma Saotome's birth, another   
  
boy was born and given the name "Ranma". This Ranma was born to Tenchi and   
  
Ryoko Masaki, in Washu's high-tech lab below the Masaki shrine, in the   
  
mountains of Southern Japan.  
  
Standing beside Tenchi, Tsunami opened her eyes to see the birth of her   
  
champion's first child. The vision she had just experienced told Tsunami that   
  
while Tenchi would always be her avatar, his son was destined for something far   
  
greater.  
  
The years rolled past...  
  
Ranma grew into a cute little boy. His eyes, a deep blue-gray, reminded   
  
Katsuhito of his daughter Achika, Tenchi's mother. Ranma's black hair wasn't as   
  
spiky as Ryoko's, but it was spiky enough to make putting it in the short braid   
  
he preferred difficult. Ranma was a gentle boy, taking after his father in most   
  
respects, but he had a competitive streak in him that matched his mother's.   
  
And he could be as stubborn as Ryoko too. Fortunately, Ranma had his interests,   
  
which could be used to get him to do other, less pleasant things. The Kendo   
  
lessons that Tenchi had so dreaded in his youth seemed to be the pleasure of   
  
Ranma's...  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
His first day of lessons...  
  
"Well Ranma, it seems that the time has finally come to start your training   
  
in the Masaki style of Kendo." Ranma's 'Great-Grandfather' handed the boy a   
  
bokken.  
  
"Yay! Finally!" came the enthusiastic response. And the training began.  
  
Off to the side, Ryoko wrapped her arms around her husband lovingly as they   
  
watched their son. "Look at him, Tenchi, he seems to have Mom's capacity for   
  
learning. His very first day, and he's absorbing the kata like a dry sponge on   
  
water! At this rate he'll be better than you before you know it."  
  
Tenchi Masaki smiled and put an arm around his wife in turn. "What I'd like   
  
to know is how he is already so good with his hands and feet." He pointed.   
  
"See that? Ranma almost surprised Katsuhito with that kick." Tenchi and Ryoko   
  
continued to watch as Ranma dodged another thrust and used the force of   
  
Katsuhito's following upward swing to launch himself away. The young boy landed   
  
cat-like on all fours.  
  
"That kid is a bigger mystery than you, and *that* puzzles me even more," said a   
  
voice from behind them.  
  
Ryoko jumped up and practically tackled the crab-haired scientist in a huge   
  
hug. "Hi Mom!" she squealed.  
  
Tenchi grinned; some things never change. "It's been a while, hasn't it   
  
Washu-*chan*. How's Kiyone and her daughter? And the rest of the GP crew?"  
  
Ryoko let go and rejoined her husband, while Washu tilted her head to the side   
  
in mimed thought. "A while? Why Tenchi, a year and two months surely isn't   
  
that much?" They both grinned.  
  
"It's long enough for *that*," he said, pointing toward Ranma's lesson. "He's   
  
doing a hundred times better than anyone could possibly expect from an almost-  
  
five-year-old. Are you sure you haven't unlocked any of his 'inherited powers'?"  
  
Washu shook her head in bewilderment. "If you are referring to Ryoko's   
  
abilities, then no. Right now he *should* be as normal as anything other five-  
  
year-old boy on Earth. Speaking of powers, what do you think I should unlock   
  
for Ranma's fifth birthday?"  
  
"Why not begin releasing the strength limiters?" suggested Ryoko. "Little by   
  
little, so he would learn to better control his strength. Then I'd be able to   
  
start the 'toughening-up sessions'." She grinned evilly.  
  
Tenchi assumed a mock-horrified expression. "Ryoko! You'd do that to our little   
  
boy?!"  
  
"But of course. He'll need a thick hide to survive his teens. After all, like   
  
father, like son." Tenchi blushed, remembering his youth, while Ryoko and   
  
Washu laughed. "Don't worry lover-boy. *You* taught me how to be gentle, and is   
  
how I will most certainly start."  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
Sasami, long ago fused with Tsunami, shook her head and put that memory into the   
  
back of her mind. Ranma was seven and a half now. His regular schooling had   
  
begun some time ago, though it would be for social reasons instead of for   
  
knowledge. Washu was seeing to the knowledge end of Ranma's education.  
  
With her trademark sunny smile, Sasami stepped out into the back porch of the   
  
Masaki Shrine, Ranma and Katsuhito coming into view as she did. The pigtailed   
  
boy was learning so much at a fantastic rate. Washu frequently said that Ranma   
  
was a *huge* pleasure to teach, as the boy grasped concepts that would have been   
  
beyond children half again his age!  
  
Even more, Sasami noted with satisfaction that Ranma was not becoming conceited   
  
in any way. With amazing certainty for one so young, he pushed his limits and   
  
took pride in his accomplishments. Ranma was also amicable and always willing to   
  
lend a hand. The parents of the friends Ranma had made at school often   
  
complemented Tenchi and Ryoko on their ability to raise such a mature son. The   
  
only complaints that were heard were from the school, when they had to explain   
  
to some parents exactly how it was that their child was not only a bully, but   
  
was beaten up for bullying by a boy two or three years younger. Ranma's only   
  
comment was, "It's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak, right?"  
  
As for his fighting ability... well, 'astounding' would be an understatement. A   
  
*big* one. Ranma continued to advance in the Juraian sword arts, and was   
  
learning to use his 'inherited abilities' almost as fast as Washu unlocked them.   
  
Sasami chuckled at the thought of what would happen if any kind of threat   
  
decided to show itself in the coming years.  
  
The Juraian Empire would soon have the best guardian to be born in the last   
  
thousand years.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
In a dimension where magic rules...  
  
Lina Inverse, 11-year-old rookie sorceress, moved hesitantly down the path   
  
leading to her sister's house. ~I don't believe this,~ she thought as she   
  
walked. ~It's been what, three whole years since I last willingly saw Luna. I   
  
managed to stay at the mage guild longer by taking those extra classes, but   
  
everybody gets the boot eventually. And not even two months pass before I get a   
  
message from Luna that says "Come home, I need you." *Need* me?! Luna never   
  
needed me for anything but as someone for her to pick on and terrorize!~  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
[ACHOO] ~Hmm... I hope I'm not coming down with something. Lina should be here   
  
soon, or not at all. In the name of Cepheid please let it be the former.~  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Luna Inverse's house is fairly normal. It's large, but that is to be expected   
  
when talking about the Knight of Cepheid. Luna is also quite an accomplished   
  
sorceress, and so a magical inspection of the house would reveal a series of   
  
wards and shields that could deter anything less than an all-out attack by a   
  
number of very powerful beings. Beyond that, rumors said that Luna had placed a   
  
few weirder enchantments upon her home, either to make living a bit easier, or   
  
just for kicks. None of those enchantments included one that made the roof jump   
  
off its mounts and come crashing back down. *That* was testimony to just how   
  
loud Lina Inverse screeched when she found out exactly what had made Luna call   
  
her home.  
  
"*WHAT*?!?"  
  
"Little sister, meet Ranko. Ranko, meet your Aunt Lina."  
  
"Hi Auntie!" chirped the little girl. Dressed in burgundy tights and a beige   
  
tunic, Ranko looked amazingly like Lina considering that the comparison was   
  
between an 11-year-old and a 6-year-old. Her fiery red-orange hair was   
  
relatively long and almost as curly, trailing behind her in a long braid. The   
  
biggest difference besides the age was Ranko's eyes, a deep blue-gray to Lina's   
  
brownish-red.  
  
Lina looked rather disturbed by the resemblance. "Who's the father?"  
  
Luna's face darkened slightly. "Ranko, go play outside."  
  
"Ok Mom!" Ranko ran out of the room.  
  
With her daughter gone, Luna sighed. "I don't know."  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
"Lina, would you please stop screaming like that. You're giving me a headache."  
  
"Bu-bu-bu-bu-," Lina stuttered. "-but that's crazy! First I find out you're a   
  
mother, and have been for the past six years, *then* I find out that you don't   
  
even know whose little girl you're raising!"  
  
"Lina! How can you say that?!" came the angry response. "I don't care even if   
  
she causes *twice* the trouble you ever did! Ranko is my daughter."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Outside, Ranko was enjoying herself. She needed to keep practicing her favorite   
  
spells, on a target preferably. And lo-and-behold, a target presented itself.   
  
"Come back here! I'm not finished! ELMIKIA LANCE!"  
  
The Ogre ran faster as a beam of white magic ripped through the space he   
  
occupied a moment ago. The little girl in the clearing *looked* like she would   
  
have made a nice snack. He found out the hard way just how wrong that assessment   
  
was. "FLARE ARROW!" A number of small flaming missiles set the Ogre's backside   
  
on fire, and he howled in a small amount of pain and a large amount of   
  
embarrassment.  
  
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on who is being referred to, the Ogre   
  
stumbled upon the rest of the hunting party from his tribe. His fellows helped   
  
him put out the last of the flames still burning on the Ogre. Then they wanted   
  
to know what happened. Thinking fast, the Ogre immediately began warning them   
  
about a Monster that had been chasing him, taunting him and torturing him with   
  
minor fire spells. They didn't like the thought of one of their own of being   
  
mocked by a Monster and vowed to kill it for its insult.  
  
It was at that moment that Ranko ran into the clearing. "Uh-oh" indeed. The   
  
clearing was filled with angry Ogres. She noticed the one she'd been chasing as   
  
soon as he began shouting.  
  
"THAT'S HER! THE MONSTER DISGUISED AS A LITTLE GIRL! GET HER!" At first the   
  
others thought the Ogre was crazy. Monsters don't disguise themselves as little   
  
human girls. But then...  
  
Ranko acted instantly. "Source of all power, light which burns beyond crimson,   
  
let thy power gather in my hand--FIREBALL!" The ball of orange energy was small   
  
compared to the one her mother had thrown at that funny priest-guy the last time   
  
he popped up, but it was big enough. The Ogres scattered to dodge the attack,   
  
only to watch as it fell short and detonated, throwing up a cloud of dust. "I'm   
  
outta here! RAYWING!" Using the dust cloud for cover, Ranko headed for home as   
  
fast as she could.  
  
The Ogres followed from the ground, throwing axes and spears at her whenever   
  
they got a clear shot. Casting any kind of spell at all should have been beyond   
  
a six-year-old human girl... which meant that this *wasn't* a six-year-old   
  
human girl. The other Ogres were now convinced that their tribesman wasn't   
  
crazy.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Suddenly both Inverse sisters stiffened.  
  
"I just--" Lina began.  
  
Luna finished, "--felt something. And given *what* it felt like..." [GROAN-  
  
thump thump thump thump]  
  
"Eh... Luna? What are you doing?" Lina sweatdropped at the sight before her: the   
  
unflappable, icy-calm Luna... repeatedly banging her head on the surface of a   
  
handy table.   
  
"Come on, sis'. We have to find Ranko. *Now*," she said as she stood up. To   
  
herself, Luna muttered, "I can't believe I forgot to restrict Ranko to the yard.   
  
Baka Luna!"  
  
"Wha--Hey! Let go!" Lina protested. Being pulled so fast that your feet leave   
  
the ground isn't a pleasant experience.  
  
"Can't. Sorry Lina, but the reason I called you home is because Ranko *does*   
  
cause twice as much trouble as you did. I need your help just for damage   
  
control, while I teach her some discipline." Lina simply gaped as Luna cast   
  
her flight spell and took off, dragging her sister along for the ride.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The reason for Luna's behavior was instantly obvious once they were airborne.   
  
Lina's jaw dropped at the sight of it. A fair distance away, little Ranko could   
  
be seen dodging dozens of thrown weapons, in mid-air. That wasn't the real   
  
reason for Lina's reaction though. It was exactly *how* Ranko was moving.  
  
The little redhead touched down on one branch, then leapt toward another five   
  
meters away. Two of those meters were passed by Ranko's physical jump   
  
alone, while the last three were covered as Ranko fed energy to a flight spell,   
  
boosting her jump. As she touched down on the next branch, Ranko let the   
  
strength of the spell drop, conserving however much mana a six-year-old could   
  
tap. Then she repeated the whole process. ~And she's not using Levitation!   
  
That's the Raywing spell! I only just mastered that spell, and she's all ready   
  
using it at the age of *six*!!~  
  
And even more amazing was how Ranko dodged every single weapon thrown at her.   
  
Even without using her flight spell, she twisted out of the path of spears,   
  
arrows, and axes with incredible fluidity, landing perfectly every time. And she   
  
seemed to do it almost effortlessly! Ranko cart-wheeled, flipped, and spun in   
  
ways that Lina had never dreamed of, and she succeeded with only narrow tree   
  
branches as landing points!  
  
"Luna... just *what* have you been feeding that girl?"  
  
Luna ignored the question. "Ranko!! Over here!" Flicking a glance at Lina she   
  
asked, "Can you fly on your own now?"  
  
Lina nodded, "RAYWING!" and floated apart from her elder sister.  
  
"Good! Grab Ranko and bring her back to me!" The blue-haired Inverse touched   
  
down on a relatively thick branch.  
  
"RANKO! HOLD ON, I'M COMING!" Lina swooping down at Ranko, who, in one last   
  
burst of agility, kicked off a heavy axe coming at her in a flat spin,   
  
propelling her up into her aunt's arms. Lina reversed directions instantly,   
  
noticing that Luna had begun chanting something.  
  
The younger Inverse got back to her sister just as, "BOMB DI WIND!" Luna cast   
  
the mother of all wind spells. A hurricane-level blast of wind ripped through   
  
the forest canopy and slammed into what seemed to be an Ogre hunting party,   
  
literally blowing them away.  
  
Lina blinked, still holding Ranko. "A wind spell? Why not a fireball or   
  
something more permanent?"  
  
"Yes, well why not burn the forest to the ground?" Luna asked, her voice thick   
  
with sarcasm. Lina winced, looking sheepish. "Really sis', you are just too   
  
predictable." Then Luna turned her attention to the girl trying to bury herself   
  
in her aunt's front. Which wasn't very effective. "Now, just *what* are we going   
  
to do about a certain redheaded Mazoku-wannabe, who *somehow* manages to piss   
  
off everybody else in the general vicinity?"  
  
Ranko gulped. "Uh-oh..."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
That night...  
  
"I don't believe it."  
  
"Believe it Lina. Ranko is as out-of-control as you were when you first learned   
  
magic. She's become the terror of bandits and beasts all over this valley, not   
  
to mention several of the villages."  
  
"HOW?! She's only six years old! You didn't even give me my first magic lesson   
  
until I *was* six!"  
  
Luna sank back into her chair. "That's what stumps me. The amount of raw magic   
  
power and ability I sensed in Ranko when she was born was impressive. Not as   
  
much as yours, but still very impressive. However, the first time Ranko ever saw   
  
me use a spell happened to be a Flare Arrow, on some punk that was hitting on me   
  
in the restaurant. That was a week before she turned five. Two weeks later, I   
  
caught Ranko in the yard, tossing makeshift wood targets up in the air... and   
  
nailing them with Flare Arrows."  
  
Lina sweatdropped heavily. "..."  
  
"You can imagine how shocked I was. When I asked her who taught her, she said   
  
that she had "seen me use that spell" in the incident I mentioned. Ranko had   
  
spent all her free time since then experimenting, trying to figure out how to   
  
throw Flare Arrows herself."  
  
"And exactly *how* long did it take her to figure it out...?"  
  
Luna held up all the fingers on one hand. "Five days." Lina fell over. Her prone   
  
form twitched occasionally. "Lina? You OK?"  
  
"NO!!" she hollered, sitting upright.  
  
"Whatever. I think I have a partial explanation anyway. Just by watching Ranko,   
  
it's obvious that she has an astoundingly fast learning curve and amazing   
  
adaptability. She *also* has an affinity for understanding flows of energy, not   
  
just mana but other kinds as well. Sweet Cepheid, it's as if Ranko can *see*   
  
how lines of mana are woven together to cast different spells. If true, that   
  
would explain how she learned her first magic spell so fast."  
  
By now Lina's eyes were the size of dinner plates. "Um, Luna, is that even   
  
*possible* for a girl that young?"  
  
"That's what is stumping me," Luna moaned out, dropping her head into her hands.  
  
~Whoa... This is really getting to her! I've never, ever heard Luna moan about   
  
*anything* before.~  
  
"Hey brat." Lina's blood froze at her sister's tone of voice. Luna's head came   
  
up with a very different expression on her face. "Time to change the subject.   
  
Why do you think you lost every time we went head-to-head in the past?"  
  
"..."  
  
"That's what I thought. Still scared stiff of me?"  
  
"..."  
  
"I'm waiting."  
  
"..."  
  
[Sigh] "Mono Volt!"  
  
[ZZAAAK] "YEEOW!! That hurt!"  
  
"It was supposed to. Now answer the question."  
  
"...I don't know how to answer that." Luna raised an eyebrow. "W-wait! Please   
  
let me finish! It keeps changing! First you send me a message to come home.   
  
Then you receive me real nicely. Th-then you start using *that* tone again and   
  
call me 'brat'! Just like before!"  
  
"Well brat, I was so hard and mean to you because I knew two things. One: this   
  
world isn't a nice place, and you needed to be toughened up before you would be   
  
able to survive on your own. Two: eventually you *will* be on your own, and I   
  
didn't want you to think of running to your big sister every time you hit a   
  
roadblock that you couldn't get around at first. So I tormented you to make you   
  
believe that the *only* person you could ever turn to for help was yourself."   
  
Luna paused. "This isn't what I had planned for our reunion, but it can't be   
  
changed now. Understand this Lina: even though I won't be picking up the torture   
  
act again, I'm not going to save your ass, *ever*. I called you home because I   
  
wanted you to have a hand in raising your niece."  
  
Lina just stared for a while. Then she blinked, and slowly nodded her head. "I   
  
understand."  
  
"Good. Now go get some sleep. I want you up with the sun tomorrow."  
  
"Uh? Up with the sun? Why?"  
  
"Because Ranko has been getting up with the sun every single day for almost two   
  
years now. I want to know what she's doing up that early, but I can't because I   
  
need enough sleep to last me through the whole day. You on the other hand, can   
  
take an afternoon nap."  
  
Lina had a *bad* feeling about that. "Um... OK, sure thing Luna. Good night."  
  
"Good night... sis'."  
  
Two sisters prepared for the coming day, while the elder's daughter slept... and   
  
dreamed.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
If it was possible for the faceless to blanch, the Being of the Void would have   
  
done just that. While each of these five new lives didn't equal the potential   
  
from the first alone, together they were *more* powerful! The Being knew it   
  
could not manipulate the past, so the only thing it could do would be to   
  
manipulate the present...  
  
To be continued...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
A message from the author:  
  
It's done! Complete! FINISHED!! At 20 pages, this Part is probably the longest   
  
I've written yet. Don't worry, not many other Parts are going to be as long as   
  
this one.  
  
- Trooper1023  
  
An OLD message from the author:  
  
READERS, I *need* ideas, scenes, adventures, etc. for the five parts of   
  
Ranma's training.  
  
Those five segments will each have their own Part. A little piece at the end   
  
of each will be devoted to filling in more of the story's background, describing   
  
a few of the more notable battles in detail, and allowing the readers to keep   
  
tabs on the Nerima crew and the Senshi "back home".  
  
I'd also like some *MORE* ideas for the five Ranma's "adventures". Each Ranma   
  
(DBZ, RK, TM, Slayers, & FOTNS) will face a major challenge of some kind just   
  
before he disappears and is fused with the others and the "original" Ranma. I've   
  
already got ideas for the TM, Slayers, and RK Ranmas, and I figure a tournament   
  
followed a final fight with Kenshiro would do for FOTNS Ranma (but unlike "Star   
  
of War", Kenshiro isn't killed, so he can show up later as an ally). However,   
  
I'm at a bit of a loss for an adventure or challenge for DBZ Ranma. Please, if   
  
anyone has an idea for either of these, send it to me. Each adventure will be   
  
the "climax" of that Part of Ranma's training; after that is over, "Ranma"   
  
disappears from that dimension.  
  
- Trooper1023  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I took the "raiders attacking a town" idea and Ranma's introduction to the   
  
Hokuto Shin Ken from Dragonlord's "Star of War" (the scene bracketed by "--1--"  
  
was taken directly, with a few modifications).  
  
Here is a concise list of who births/adopts/raises/trains each part (color)   
  
of 'Ranma' and what he gains from them (and what sex each 'Ranma' is):  
  
- GOLD/male/black hair: Vegeta and Bulma, third child born (1 yr younger than   
  
Bra). Gains: raw offensive power as Saiyajin, skill at "hyper-kinetic" physical   
  
combat (a.k.a. DBZ-style fighting) and pride from Vegeta. 'Dragonball Z/GT'  
  
- BLACK/male/black hair: Kenshiro, adopted (at 7 yrs old) after original story   
  
line ends. Gains: raw physical strength and speed, knowledge of "killing   
  
arts", the sadness of knowing he can -and will- kill, from Kenshiro and Hokuto   
  
Shin Ken. 'Fist of The North Star'  
  
- GREEN/male/red hair: Kenshin Himura, found and adopted (is 6 yrs old at the   
  
time). Gains: skill with sword from Hiko Seijurou and the Hiten Mitsurugi   
  
Ryu, knowing "when to strike and when to back off" and gentleness from   
  
Kenshin. 'Rurouni Kenshin'  
  
- BLUE/male/black hair: Tenchi and Ryoko Masaki, first born child. Gains: raw   
  
defensive power from Wings of the Light Hawk, additional skill with sword and   
  
battle tactics from Yosho, wisdom from Tsunami, thirst for knowledge from Washu.   
  
'Tenchi Muyo'  
  
- RED/female/red hair: Luna Inverse and unknown father, first born. Gains:   
  
basic magic power/ability/knowledge from Luna, how to throw every black magic   
  
combat spell from a Fireball to a Dragon Slave) and appetite from Lina, basic   
  
knowledge of White magic from Amelia, some knowledge of Shamanistic magic from   
  
Zelgadis, swordsmanship from Gourry, a small liking for mischief from Xellos.   
  
'Slayers'   
  
_Special Thanks_  
  
Dragonlord - for being someone to bounce ideas off of, and for the intro of   
  
Ranma to Kenshiro (taken from his excellent fic: "Star of War")  
  
BlazingMew - for the intro plot to Ranma's training under Kenshin Himura and   
  
numerous suggestions for the story as a whole  
  
Lord Void - for the suggestion to make Ranma Tenchi and Ryoko's child  
  
DeMarco - for the idea of making the Tenchi plot contemporary, "meaning that   
  
Ranma Masaki would be living in the same time period as when the crisis is   
  
taking place. Since the Masaki shrine is located in southern Japan, Ranma   
  
Masaki would be unaffected by these events... until the danger starts to   
  
spread beyond Tokyo." Ranma Masaki would also be growing up at the same time   
  
as Ranma Saotome, and he'd be unknown to the Ranma crew throughout their   
  
adventures in Nerima  
  
Farmer - for a few REALLY nice suggestions for Lina's introduction to Ranko   
  
(Slayers Ranma), as well as Ranko's training  
  
Extra special thanks to this fic's first pre-reader, John Geroam Greyson.  
  
Update: 8/31/01  
  
I've changed the part where Kenshin enters the town so it reads less like a   
  
summery.  
  
Update: 9/15/01  
  
Added a nice chunk of dialogue to the DBZ and Kenshin sections. Also added   
  
more to the Tenchi section.  
  
Update: 9/26/01  
  
The Tenchi section is complete. Now to write the Slayers section...  
  
Update: 10/11/01  
  
Added an intro piece to the "villain" of this fic. It is good? Bad? Tell me.  
  
Also changed where the RK part of the story takes place. Instead of simply in   
  
the past of Ranma's original dimension, it takes place in a dimension that would   
  
have gone on to become the canon "Ranmaverse" (no TM or SM relation). I'll   
  
explain more on this in later chapters.  
  
Changed the name of this part to: "The Birth of The Five".  
  
Update: 10/25/01  
  
COMPLETION ACHIEVED! Changed Lina's age when she first meets Ranko. Changed   
  
Ranko's 'color' to red, changed HSK Ranma's 'color' to black.  
  
Update: 11/8/01  
  
Another slight modification to Lina's age; it'll make what I have planned   
  
for the Slayers timeline work better. Cut end section off and turned it into   
  
Part 1-C.  
  
Update: 1/24/01  
  
Created a new divider for flashbacks. Fixed minor grammar and spelling errors.  
  
C&C to: bjhaberman@prodigy.net  
  
Find the latest of my fics at: http://Trooper1023.tripod.com/ 


	3. Chapter 3: The Home Front

Disclaimer: All characters and concepts in this story are owned and copyrighted   
  
by their respective creators. They DO NOT belong to me. I'm just barrowing them.  
  
"Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior"  
  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon x-over (primary)  
  
- Multiple Anime x-over (secondary)  
  
Written by Trooper1023  
  
Based on original story idea, "The Super Ranma", by Piccolo181  
  
View at: http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/idea.htm  
  
=text= is transmissions (long-distance communicators)  
  
[text] is sounds/actions  
  
*text* is emphasized words  
  
~text~ is thoughts  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Part I: When in Need of a Warrior  
  
Chapter 3: On the Home Front  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Nerima, the night of the eighth day...  
  
In the guest room of the Tendo Dojo, Nodoka Saotome dreamed. She dreamed of   
  
Ranma, or more precisely, *five* different Ranmas.  
  
Ranma... dressed in a blue bodysuit and white armor, a flame-like aura of blue   
  
around him. He is viciously trading blows with an older purple haired boy   
  
surrounded by a similar aura only white. The older boy oddly looks a lot like   
  
Ranma...  
  
Ranma... standing bare-chested before another, a *hugely* muscled warrior, on   
  
the field of what looks like an arena. His eyes flicker from blue-gray to gold,   
  
radiating the ki of a killer so brilliantly that Nodoka shivers...  
  
Ranma... his hair dark red, standing beside a shorter man who also has red hair,   
  
both wearing the grab of a samurai with swords at their waists. As they turn,   
  
Nodoka can see the cross-scar on the man's left cheek, and the long vertical   
  
scar that runs down the right side of her son's face, over his right eye to the   
  
line of his jaw. The man with the cross-scar seems oddly familiar to Nodoka...  
  
Ranma... dressed in a matte-black bodysuit and glossy-black body armor, with two   
  
black marks on the left side of his face. He holds a battle staff of black and   
  
gold in a two-handed stance, and behind him float two angular blades of black   
  
energy, like wings of darkness. Looking closer, Nodoka can see that his blue   
  
eyes are slitted, like a cat's...  
  
Ranma... in female form, with red-orange hair and dressed in an odd-looking   
  
skin-tight outfit of black and gold, with black shoulder guards and a black   
  
cape. Ranma narrows her eyes - which shift from the familiar blue-gray to   
  
startling molten red - then rears back a hand. An orange ball of light forms in   
  
her hand, which she throws with a shout at an ugly beast charging toward her.   
  
The beast vanishes in an explosion of orange flames...  
  
Nodoka woke with a gasp. Closing her eyes, she began to think of the images in   
  
her dream. Of five very different versions of her son... one of them female!  
  
~Why am I seeing these things in my sleep? Are these other 'Ranma's simply   
  
examples of other ways my son that could have grown up, if things had turned out   
  
differently? Or is the connection even closer than that?~  
  
Suddenly Nodoka started, realizing why the man standing next to the red-haired   
  
Ranma in her dream was familiar. ~That was Great-Grandfather Kenshin when he was   
  
young! What was *he* doing standing next to my--~ Nodoka's thought cut off.   
  
~This can't be right! That *was* Ranma in my dream, despite the red... hair?!?~   
  
She shook her head in confusion. ~Great-Grandfather died just after meeting my   
  
son, only a few weeks before Ranma's third birthday. What did he say... "You   
  
were right... to name your son... Ranma... he reminds me... of a boy I adopted   
  
once... a long time ago..."~ Nodoka's head spun as she tried to make sense of   
  
the mess of images and memories in her mind. She shook her head violently. ~Ugh,   
  
enough all ready. I'm going to question myself into madness at this rate.~ She   
  
sat up on her futon and gazed out the window.  
  
~Ranma... my son... please hurry home,~ she pleaded silently.  
  
A few minutes later, a terrified scream reverberated around the house.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
-----------------------------DREAM-------------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
"Akane! This is sooooooo *boring*!"  
  
"Ranma, you're going to have to learn about shopping eventually. Might has well   
  
do it now instead of later, and here in the brand new mall in Juuban."  
  
"But what kinda use am I gonna have for a *mall*?! All you're doing is walkin'   
  
around in circles, stickin' your nose in random shop windows. Hell, you ain't   
  
even buyin' a tenth of what ya pick up and look at!" Ranma-chan growled sourly.  
  
"Ever heard of browsing?"  
  
"Um, yeah. So?"  
  
"Ugh! You drive me crazy sometimes! This is what *normal* teenagers do with some   
  
of their free time."  
  
"You mean girls, doncha?"  
  
"And? You're a girl."  
  
"I AM *NOT*!!!" Ranma-chan roared. When practically half the mall turned her   
  
way, she gave every looker such a glare that they all cringed and looked away.  
  
Akane however giggled. "Wow, are you the touchy one."  
  
"Shaddup, ya un-cute tomboy!"  
  
"What did you call me?!"  
  
"Ya heard me right! Tomboy! I ain't no girl, but I gotta say I'm *still* more   
  
girlish than *you*!"  
  
An angry red battle aura flickered into existence around Akane. "Do you *want*   
  
to get malleted?" she asked in a lethally quiet voice.  
  
"Ya know what? I *do* want it! Go a'head 'n' hit me!!"  
  
"..." Ranma began to sweat as the battle aura vanished suddenly and a truly evil   
  
grin spread across Akane's face. "In that case, I'm *not* going to give you the   
  
pounding you so rightfully deserve. Instead... you're going to follow me through   
  
every feminine clothing and hygiene store in the mall!!"  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
"WWWHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYY MMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" An anguished cry echoed around   
  
the buildings of downtown Juuban.  
  
Makoto Kino winced in sympathy. "What kind of terrible things have to be done to   
  
some poor girl to make her scream like *that*?" Minako Ano nodded in silent   
  
agreement. Suddenly a pair of beeping noses started coming from their purses.   
  
The two Sailor Senshi pulled them out and activated them.  
  
=Makoto, Minako?= came Ami's voice.  
  
"Yeah?" they replied in unison.  
  
=Get over to that new mall that just opened and do it fast! I'm reading a *lot*   
  
of Negaverse energy building up underneath that mall. I think that's where the   
  
next attack is going to be!=  
  
"Got it, Ami! We're on our way!"  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
---Fight scene: Inner Senshi and Ranma-chan VS. super-charged youma---  
  
-----------------------------DREAM-------------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
With a shriek Akane bolted upright in her bed.  
  
Several thumps sounded in other parts of the house, and less than a minute later   
  
both Kasumi and Nodoka were in Akane's room, holding her and trying to calm her   
  
trembling.  
  
"Onee-chan, what is it? What scared you so badly?" asked Kasumi, obvious concern   
  
in her brown eyes.  
  
Akane's trembling subsided and her gasping slowed to more normal breathing.   
  
"Kasumi... I-it was--" her voice caught. Akane swallowed to try and continue,   
  
but she turned away from her older sister to face Nodoka. "It was... a distorted   
  
memory... kinda... Auntie, I-I was reliving that first attack Ranma and I got   
  
caught in. The one in the Juuban Mall."  
  
Nodoka leaned toward Akane, enfolding her in a hug of her own. "Akane, you said   
  
it was distorted... how?"  
  
"It was exactly the same as what happened, up to when I was digging Ranma out of   
  
the rubble of the wall she was knocked through. But in my... dream... after   
  
Ranma shook her head, she opened her eyes... and I found myself looking into the   
  
eyes of a cat!"  
  
"The eyes of a cat?"  
  
"They were still blue-gray, but the pupils were so tall and narrow..." Akane   
  
again trembled slightly. "Then I screamed and woke up."  
  
After a few more reassurances that she was fine, Akane shooed Kasumi and Nodoka   
  
out of her room so she could sleep. But instead of that, Akane found herself   
  
recalling other events that had happened...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Elsewhere, in "Ucchan's Okonomiyaki"...  
  
Ukyou bolted upright, barely hold back a scream of her own. Slowly, her rapid   
  
breathing eased. ~Another nightmare... No, that was more than a nightmare. It   
  
was a memory...~  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
"Kusooo! Why is it that *we* have to get attacked?!" grunted Akane, dodging the   
  
tendrils that this youma used for arms for all she was worth. Ukyou didn't spare   
  
the breath to answer in words. Instead, the okonomiyaki chef hurled her last   
  
throwing spatulas at the youma. Charged with her chi from a technique Ryouga had   
  
shown her and Ranma had adapted for her use, two spatulas cut off bunches of   
  
thin, whip-like arms, while the last one sank into the youma's single eye. It   
  
screamed in pain and began lashing out wildly in all directions.  
  
A cry of "Kijin Raishu Dan!" announced that at least there had been one complete   
  
victory. Ranma's vacuum-blade cut the other youma, blocky and as tough as hard   
  
oak, in half. It then disintegrated. Ukyou flicked a glance Ranma's way...   
  
"WATCH OUT UKYOU!!" he roared suddenly. Ukyou realized her mistake just as she   
  
was hit.  
  
Just before Ukyou blacked out completely, she thought ~He'll help Akane. He   
  
loves her after all. Oh Ran-chan...~ Then she was unconscious and knew no more.  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
Ukyou lay back in her bed, a newly installed skylight in her room allowing her   
  
to see the stars in the sky...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
Ranma's eyes narrowed to slits. To his left, Ukyou had been stunned by a lucky   
  
hit from one flailing tendril. Knocked off balance, she was falling over the   
  
edge of the building. To his right, Akane was nearly out of space to move,   
  
cornered by more of the youma's wildly waving arms. He had enough time to help   
  
one of them... only one.  
  
Ranma had to choose. He did.  
  
~What are you just standing there for?! *Do* something!~ cried Akane mentally.  
  
As if he'd somehow heard her thought, Ranma's eyes locked with Akane's. There   
  
was a sadness there, as if... ~He's not going to help me.~  
  
Then Ranma dived over the edge, after Ukyou.  
  
For a second Akane was shocked motionless. Then her old stubbornness flared up.   
  
~Well I don't need his help *anyway*!~ She reared back to throw her usual   
  
haymaker... but lacking room to wind up for the punch, she ended up putting her   
  
elbow through the already-weak wall behind her, inadvertently giving her more   
  
room to move. Several whip-arms lashed the air where Akane had been standing a   
  
second ago. Dodging backward, Akane found herself out of room yet again.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH HER! PERFECT SHI SHI HOUKODAN!!!" A massive ball of green chi   
  
erupted out on the roof, vaporizing the wounded youma. As its remains crumbled   
  
to dust, Akane felt the strain of the fight finally catch up with her, and she   
  
sank to the floor. "Akane!" She blinked, realizing that someone *was* calling   
  
her name.  
  
"Ryouga?"  
  
"Akane... what happened?"  
  
"We were attacked by two youma. Ranma killed one of them, but the other... the   
  
other one knocked Ukyou off the roof and had me cornered."  
  
"Just you three!? What did he do?! Tell me!"  
  
"He... He jumped off the roof after Ukyou. I-I can't believe he'd just leave me   
  
like that..."  
  
"..." Ryouga was speechless.  
  
"Ya think *I* can believe it myself?" Ranma wasn't.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
Ranma frowned oddly, Ukyou cradled to his chest. "Akane... I-I donno what   
  
happened. I saw you cornered and Ukyou falling off the roof... And the next   
  
thing I know, I'm falling after Ukyou. It... just... happened... so fast..." His   
  
voice trailed off and he looked away, feeling guilty. ~Please don't hate me   
  
Akane. I donno if I could live with that.~  
  
Akane hugged herself tightly, shivering. ~He doesn't care about me.~ "You...   
  
you... you *baka*!" Ranma flinched. ~No, he does. Otherwise he wouldn't have   
  
that guilty look on his face. But he doesn't care about me as much...~ Her eyes   
  
fell on Ukyou.  
  
Ranma noticed her gaze. ~What the hell are these things I'm feeling!? Do I care   
  
about Ukyou? Or do I care about Akane? Do I care about *both* of 'em?!~ "Urk!"   
  
~I hope not! Not way I'm gonna be like Kuno!~ He looked into Akane's face, her   
  
expression. She brought her gaze up to meet his, then looked away. ~Aw jeez, she   
  
thinks I don't care. But I can't be two places at once, so how--~  
  
Suddenly Ranma's face light up with a grin. ~Of course I can't be in two places   
  
at once. I just need to have somebody else always watching out for Akane. And I   
  
know just the person, too.~ He sent a certain kind of look toward Ryouga.  
  
The Lost Boy sneezed. Then he caught the look Ranma was giving him and blinked.   
  
~Is he telling me to do what I *think* he's telling me to do?!~  
  
Akane shivered again in the cold evening air. ~So I'm on my own now, without   
  
Ranma looking out for me. But isn't that what I always wanted? I'm finally rid   
  
of that jerk... always getting... in my... way...?~ Suddenly a pair of strong   
  
arms slid around her and picked her up. "R-Ryouga?!" she squeaked in surprise.   
  
He blushed.  
  
"Ah, um, please, lets just get you home safely. And, uh..." He glanced over at   
  
Ranma.  
  
"Chill Ryouga, I'll lead ya to the dojo. Then I'll go drop off Ukyou."  
  
Akane looked at Ryouga. ~He didn't call him P-chan.~  
  
Ryouga looked at Akane. ~He didn't call me P-chan.~  
  
~What's up with him?~ they thought identically.  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
Akane tossed and turned in her bed as she recalled the rest of that night, just   
  
under a month ago. That fight against youma had been the fourth Ranma and Ryouga   
  
had been involved in, and the first in which Ranma used the Saotome Forbidden   
  
Techniques. Akane shuddered at the thought of how that fight could have turned   
  
out if Ranma hadn't opened up the Yamasen-ken and Umisen-ken.  
  
After Ranma had left to drop off Ukyou at her restaurant, Akane found herself   
  
confronted by Ryouga in her room. He had been so nervous, and then Akane had   
  
found out why. That was the night that Ryouga finally worked up the guts to tell   
  
her that he had a Jusenkyou curse. That *he* was her pet P-chan. Akane would   
  
have pounded him flat and told him that she never wanted to see him again, if   
  
she hadn't been exhausted from the fight. Fortunately for both their sanities   
  
she *was* exhausted, giving Ryouga enough time to fumble his words and still say   
  
what he wanted to say.  
  
It was a knock on the head for Akane. Ranma had been hinting at P-chan's   
  
identity all along, but couldn't say anything directly because of his honor and   
  
his feeling of responsibility. And as for Ryouga, Akane had to admit that she'd   
  
never given "P-chan" an opportunity to object to her treatment of him. Then came   
  
the revelation of Ryouga's extreme shyness around girls... and the reason "P-  
  
chan" got nosebleeds so often. Akane flushed in embarrassment at that thought.  
  
However, what had really touched Akane was how Ryouga had kept every single   
  
secret she'd told him whenever she'd been feeling down and started talking to   
  
her "pet". Even though he'd run off as "P-chan" and come back as Ryouga,   
  
swearing vengeance for something Ranma did to her, Ryouga had never revealed   
  
anything of her private thoughts to anyone, keeping them only in his heart. The   
  
final touch was when Ryouga opened up *his* heart to her. It stunned Akane to   
  
learn that Ryouga had fallen in love with her that first time she'd defended   
  
him, the "helpless piglet", from Ranma.  
  
A huge weight seemed to have lifted from their shoulders. Suddenly feeling   
  
daring, Akane had embraced Ryouga and given him a kiss on the lips, the kind   
  
Shampoo kept trying to land on Ranma. Ryouga seemed to take it really well after   
  
the initial shock passed, but afterward the thought of the more 'ecchi   
  
activities that would come after the kissing gave the poor guy a major nosebleed   
  
and he'd passed out. Akane thought she had heard somebody's laughter as she   
  
dragged Ryouga into the dojo. She decided that Ranma wouldn't mind if she let   
  
Ryouga use his futon and dragged that into the dojo as well.  
  
The next day had been filled with seemingly endless moments of embarrassed   
  
silence as she and Ranma tried to dig their feelings for each other out of   
  
hiding. It was terribly painful, both of them ready to tear each other's throats   
  
out at several points. Still, the feelings they brought to light were worth the   
  
pain, not to mention how Akane felt like a total idiot for not making those   
  
realizations sooner. And by the look on Ranma's face, he'd felt like he was just   
  
as big an idiot as she felt herself.  
  
As for the realizations themselves, well... Akane got one of the biggest shocks   
  
of her life when Ranma had off-handedly commented that "Me and you bicker enough   
  
to be siblings! 'Wish Pops'd realize that instead of pushing the engagement..."  
  
Ranma might have made the comment, but Akane realized just how true it was. It   
  
made sense after all. Looking back on her relationship with Ranma and all the   
  
fights and disagreements they'd gotten into, Akane realized that they *had* been   
  
bickering with each other like only siblings would. Of course, Akane practically   
  
had to beat Ranma in the head with his own comment, but then he too realized its   
  
truthfulness. Thinking back, Ranma remembered the Martial Arts skating match   
  
with Mikado Sanzenin and Azusa. Despite his proclamation of Akane being "his   
  
fiancee", Ranma had been acting more like a brother protecting his little   
  
sister's innocence.  
  
It was really weird. Neither Ranma nor Akane found it very difficult to start   
  
thinking of each other as siblings. Then Ranma realized that he'd been   
  
*thinking* of Akane like an annoying sister that needed to be teased, since the   
  
failed wedding!  
  
And then Akane found out that she *had* heard a guy's laughter as she dragged   
  
Ryouga away the previous night, Ranma's laughter!  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
"Ranma... you were *eavesdropping* on my conversation with Ryouga?" asked Akane,   
  
a vein bulging on her forehead.  
  
"Yup." Ranma simply didn't notice the warning signs.  
  
"And...?" Akane's hand flexed, poised to mallet the baka in front of her.  
  
Ignoring all common sense, Ranma continued... "It's great that you and Ryouga   
  
are finally admittin' you're feelings. Like we just did." ...and by some   
  
incredible change of luck, happened to say exactly the right thing. Akane   
  
blinked, her battle aura dispersing.  
  
"And who would'a known that Ryouga was a good kisser!" Ranma teased, that   
  
annoying smirk spreading across his face.  
  
"H-how did--" Akane stammered.  
  
"Ah com'on Akane! I saw that blush you had on as you hauled him into the dojo.   
  
You were red as a tomato!"  
  
"Grrrr... Ranma no baka!"  
  
"And you know you enjoyed it too tomboy!"  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
Akane chuckled to herself, remembering how that conversation had dissolved into   
  
their usual bickering. It was different though; from that point on, Akane found   
  
that bickering with Ranma was... fun. The smirk that rode his face during   
  
bickering matches told Akane that he too got a kick out of it...  
  
~Please come back to us soon... you baka brother of mine.~  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ukyou had woken up late the next mourning in her own bed, her injuries expertly   
  
wrapped and treated. Simply relaxing for a change, she'd almost jumped out of   
  
her skin when Ranma had come bounding into her restaurant around mid-day, a   
  
*huge* grin spread across his face.  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
"HI U-CHAN!"  
  
"Wah!" Startled, Ukyou lost her balance.  
  
"Whoa, careful there U-chan. Maybe you shouldn't be up so soon." Ranma was there   
  
in a flash, steadying her. Ukyou blinked.  
  
"Yo, Ran-chan, are you ok?" ~He's never *this* friendly because he's afraid   
  
Akane'll walk in and get the wrong idea...~  
  
"Hell yeah!" Ranma crowed, bursting with energy. "I haven't felt this good   
  
since... since..." He blushed and looked away. "...Since we played together U-  
  
chan. As little kids." He looked back at his friend and blinked. "U-chan?"  
  
"Ah, Ran-chan, are you sure you should be so... enthusiastic?" Ukyou remarked,   
  
pointing behind him. Ranma turned to see Akane standing in the door.  
  
"Yeah, and?" Ukyou's eyes bugged in shock.  
  
When the sound of wood being hit by something harder reached her ears Ukyou   
  
turned back to the door. [Blink] Akane was banging her head on the doorframe,   
  
muttering "Baka, baka, baka," over and over again. Abruptly she stopped. "You're   
  
own your own, dummy. Don't expect any help from me if you can't explain it   
  
right." Then she was gone.  
  
[Blink] [Blink] "Ok Ran-chan, what the *hell* is going on here?"  
  
Ranma smirked, his mirth very apparent. "Last night Akane found out that a   
  
certain someone is a surprisingly good kisser."  
  
"What?" Ukyou was suddenly up in Ranma's face, her tone of voice glacial. "Ok   
  
Ran-chan, tell me *exactly* what you mean by that statement."  
  
"Excuse me, could you please tell me how to get to... Ukyou? Wait that means   
  
that I'm back in Nerima..." Ryouga blinked, noticing Ranma position relative to   
  
Ukyou. "Um, what did Ranma do *now*?"  
  
"...He kissed Akane, that's what." Ukyou growled flatly.  
  
"NANI?!?" Ryouga whirled on Ranma, looking mighty pissed. However, in the time   
  
it took for Ryouga to find out why Ukyou was so steamed, Ranma managed to figure   
  
out what he'd said wrong.  
  
"Who said *I* kissed Akane?!?" Both Ukyou and Ryouga stopped and blinked. "What   
  
I actually said was, 'Last night Akane found out that a certain *someone* is a   
  
surprisingly good kisser.' I never said it was me!!"  
  
"Oh." Ukyou flushed in embarrassment. "Um, sorry Ran-chan."  
  
Ranma held his head in his hands and groaned. "Ugh, don't worry about it. These   
  
things *always* happen to me."  
  
"Ah, right... Hey, hold up a second!" Ukyou stared at Ranma. "Akane was kissed   
  
by some guy and *you*, Ran-chan, are *happy* about it!?!"  
  
"Um, actually, Akane kissed *him*. But he returned it pretty damn good, if *her*   
  
blush was any indication." Ryouga's face began to twitch. "Heh, she even   
  
admitted that she enjoyed it!"  
  
"RAAAANNNMMMMAAAAAA!!! You were *spying* on me and Akane last night?!? HOW DARE   
  
YOU! PREPARE TO--"  
  
"Aw, give it a rest Ryouga. Come on, I'll take you to the dojo so you get   
  
started on some really *private* activities with your girlfriend." Several   
  
'ecchi images involving him and Akane in her bed, without clothes, popped into   
  
Ryouga's mind. A few seconds later he passed out from a massive nosebleed.  
  
Ukyou continued to gape open-mouthed at the scene before her. ~Akane and...   
  
Ryouga?! And Ranma's *encouraging* them!?~ A hand waved in front of her face,   
  
and Ukyou shook herself out of the daze she was falling into. "Ranchan, *please*   
  
tell me what in Kami-sama is going on here?"  
  
[Groan] "It's kinda obvious Ukyou. Ranma's been teasing Ryouga again... isn't   
  
that right, baka?"  
  
Ranma rolled his eyes. "That's something to get mad at? Jeez Akane, ya gotta do   
  
something 'bout your boyfriend's shyness problem. At this rate you wont get past   
  
first base!"  
  
Akane pulled an eyelid down and stuck her tongue out at Ranma. "And you teasing   
  
him about it is going to help?"  
  
"Ain't gonna hurt him either." [SPLASH] "Oui! What was that for ya tomboy?"   
  
Ranma-chan growled, swiping wet red hair from her face.  
  
"For being you." Akane turned to Ukyou. "How'd he piss you off before he finally   
  
explained himself?"  
  
Ukyou slapped a hand on her forehead. "That jackass said that you found out last   
  
night that 'a certain someone is a surprisingly good kisser'. Of course, I   
  
thought he was talking about himself." Akane couldn't reply immediately because   
  
she was too busy laughing.  
  
Ranma-chan snarled, "What am I, punching bag of the day? I *said* 'surprisingly   
  
good kisser' for a reason."  
  
One chestnut-brown eyebrow rose. "Oh? And why was that?"  
  
"Because it'd be surprising ta find out that *I* am *not* a good kisser, 'cause   
  
Shampoo's always lookin' for a chance to glomp and kiss me! If I wasn't a good   
  
kisser than she'd only be lookin' to glomp me anyway."  
  
Akane facefaulted Takahashi-style while a vein on Ukyou's forehead bulged. "You   
  
arrogant jackass! Shampoo's only been forcing kisses you, right? You've never   
  
actually kissed a girl, so how would you know if you're a good kisser?!"  
  
Ranma-chan grinned evilly. "You wanna find out... Ucchan?"  
  
"Huh? Wha-mmph!" 'mmph' because at that moment Ranma-chan tackled Ukyou in a   
  
glomp that would have made Shampoo jealous and kissed her full on the lips.   
  
Ukyou went stiff in shock as a strange feeling rolled across her body. Then she   
  
found herself beginning to return the kiss! ~WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING!?! YES I   
  
WANT TO KISS RANMA, BUT *NOT* IN GIRL FORM!!~  
  
Akane sweatdropped. "Ranma no baka. You're supposed to be a guy when you do   
  
something like that. Here, let me help." Then she proceeded to dump a kettle-  
  
full of hot water she got from somewhere over the two girls. Turning the redhead   
  
into a guy.  
  
Ranma-chan's short, busty form morphed into the long, lean, muscled body of   
  
Ranma-kun, and Ukyou's eyes nearly popped out of her head as a wave of heat   
  
surged through her body. She was finally doing what she had always dreamed of   
  
doing, locked in a passionate kiss with Ranma. But the real thing was *far*   
  
better than anything she'd imagined! Adding in the weird feelings still floating   
  
around from when she'd been kissing Ranma in girl form, Ukyou's vision went red   
  
and she knew no more...  
  
...Until a painfully familiar, outraged, and female voice screamed, "AIYA! WHAT   
  
SPATULA GIRL DO TO AIREN?!? AIREN NEVER KISS SHAMPOO LIKE THAT!!! OBSTACLES FOR   
  
KILLING, YOU DIE TODAY SPATULA GIRL!!!"  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
Ukyou sighed wistfully as she recalled the rest of that incident. Shampoo had   
  
been *very* angry, and had been putting out a battle aura as big as the one   
  
Ukyou had put out before that. Ukyou laughed again as she thought of the name   
  
Ranma had later tacked on that size and color of battle aura: the Jealous and   
  
Outraged Fiancée aura. For copyrighted use by furious fiancées only. Ukyou   
  
suspected that Ranma got that last bit from the thought of what Nabiki would do   
  
when inventing something.  
  
As for Shampoo, well... Ranma *hadn't* been happy to see his best friend (and   
  
possibly more, Ukyou blushed at the images that came with the thought) attacked   
  
by another with lethal intent. She, and Mousse too (he had been following   
  
Shampoo), had been shocked to hear Ranma roar, "DON'T YOU DARE!" and send   
  
Shampoo sprawling with Ukyou's own combat spatula, straight into Mousse.  
  
Fortunately for the almost-blind Amazon's health, he realized that Ranma wasn't   
  
going to take any crap, from him or from anyone else. Mousse simply picked   
  
himself and Shampoo up and leaped away. Ukyou, Akane, and Ryouga (awake again)   
  
blinked collectively, but Ranma only stared down at his hands, as if they had   
  
betrayed him.  
  
Ukyou sighed once more. It still eluded her, why Ranma had been so stubborn   
  
about hurting any girl, including Shampoo. While she *was* glad that Akane and   
  
herself no longer had any reason to be at odds with each other, Ukyou found   
  
herself sharing Ranma's pain.  
  
~Oh Ran-chan... Please come back to me... My heart is empty without you...~  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
In five places far away from Nerima, four boys named Ranma and one girl named   
  
Ranko sneezed. Three times. Each.  
  
To be continued...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
fs_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
A lot of people have been asking for explanations of some OOC stuff in UCUW   
  
Part 1-A. That's what this part is; just some history to the story, and to set   
  
up for the rest of it.  
  
*HOWEVER*, this part is *NOT* finalized! By no means at all! I slapped this   
  
together because I need to start putting some thought into just how   
  
relationships between the Wrecking Crew members are going to change. This is a   
  
sort of a "see the result, then see the reasons/history later" type thing. Go   
  
ahead and flame me if you think 1-C is *that* bad, just make sure you include   
  
useful criticism and suggestions. Otherwise I won't be able to make it better!  
  
First Posted: 11/8/01  
  
Cut end section off Part 1-B and turned it into Part 1-C. Worked in   
  
scene/flashback of the changed relationships between Ranma, Ukyou, Ryouga, and   
  
Akane. Also added to Nodoka's reaction to her 'dream'.  
  
Update: 11/16/01  
  
Moved Akane's and Ukyou's flashbacks to another chapter, where they could be   
  
used better.  
  
  
  
Update: 12/29/01  
  
Moved Akane's and Ukyou's flashbacks back to this chapter after some   
  
rewriting. Hopefully this chapter will now better explain some of the back   
  
history to UCUW's first chapter.  
  
Update: 1/24/02  
  
Nearing completion. Re-ordered the flashback and dream sequences so they   
  
have continuity. Wrote out the fight scene "Ranma, Akane, and Sailor Senshi vs.   
  
super-charged youma". Changed Nodoka's vision of "Ranma Masaki"; got an idea   
  
about using Tsunami's sister Goddess Tokimi.  
  
C&C to: bjhaberman@prodigy.net  
  
Find the latest of my fics at: http://Trooper1023.tripod.com/ 


	4. Chapter 4: Prelude to Chaos

Disclaimer: All characters and concepts in this story are owned and copyrighted   
  
by their respective creators. They DO NOT belong to me. I'm just borrowing them.  
  
"Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior"  
  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon x-over (primary)  
  
- Multiple Anime x-over (secondary)  
  
Co-Written by Ranechi and Trooper1023  
  
Based on original story idea, "The Super Ranma", by Piccolo181  
  
View at: http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/idea.htm  
  
=text= is transmissions (long-distance communicators)  
  
[text] is sounds/actions  
  
*text* is emphasized words  
  
~text~ is thoughts  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Part I: When in Need of a Warrior  
  
Chapter 4: Prelude to Chaos  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Dawn of the eighth day...  
  
Genma sat, as he had done all night, by his son's comatose body. Silence  
  
was his only companion as he hoped that the monkey's paw was working   
  
correctly. After all, when the two had spoken about the wish, they hadn't  
  
expected this to happen.  
  
He sighed, and lowered his head, eyes drooping slightly. They'd gotten there  
  
as fast as they could, and he was getting tired. However, he noticed   
  
something bright in the corners of his eyes, and looked up just in time to  
  
see the five balls of light that had emerged from his son the night before  
  
had returned. The five met in a circle above Ranma, and began to rotate,  
  
quickly picking up speed as they decended towards his body, the circle   
  
closing in as it happened.  
  
Finally, the lights met just as they reached Ranma's body, and in a flash  
  
of white light, vanished. Genma could only stare as Ranma's body glowed a  
  
faint white and grew slightly, his muscles becoming slightly larger and  
  
more defined. It was as if his body was undoing all the mistakes that had  
  
shunned his growth slightly during the training trip, such as malnutrition  
  
from when he'd only let Ranma eat rice for a year.  
  
A groan came out of him as Ranma sowly sat up, holding his head as one hell  
  
of a headache made itself known in his skull. His eyes opened and adjusted  
  
themselves to the light as he focused on Genma.  
  
"Are you alright, Ranma?" Genma asked, worried slightly. He needed Ranma to  
  
be fit enough to fight, and that *was* the idea of the wish...to make his son  
  
more combat-capable. Ranma managed a nod.  
  
"Yea, just a headache pops..." Ranma stood up groggily, and nearly fell over.  
  
He blinked as he looked down at himself. "My center of balance is off...I'm  
  
taller?" He asked himself as he looked up at his father, confusion on his  
  
face.  
  
Genma nodded as he looked at his son. "It would seem so, my boy. Do you feel  
  
any different?" He looked at him more carefully. He was definately taller,  
  
by several inches, and he was more muscular also. Other than that, though, he  
  
could see no other changes physically.  
  
Ranma glanced over his body and closed his eyes, finding his center and his ki.  
  
His eyebrows rose as he opened his eyes. "My ki's larger than before, and I  
  
feel much stronger and faster too...other than that, and my height, I feel like  
  
normal." He paused as he looked to the floor, tensed his arms slightly, then   
  
relaxed, and looked up at Genma. "I want to stay here for a while, a few days  
  
maybe...a week at most. I have to get used to my improved body...find out what  
  
my limits are."  
  
The older man looked like he was going to argue, but paused and nodded. "Very  
  
well. You would only do this if you needed to, so I'll return to Nerima and  
  
tell the others of your imminent arrival. I shall expect you in a few days, boy."  
  
As Ranma nodded, Genma stood and took his pack before leaving for the place  
  
where the two had been leaving for the past year and a bit. Ranma stared up  
  
at the sky and turned to a patch of trees nearby, scattered also with piles  
  
of boulders. "Well," he sighed, "let's get started."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
In the Tendo Dojo, Nerima District...  
  
Akane sighed as she went through her kata. At the other end of the dojo, her new  
  
friends - who were in fact the Sailor Senshi - were following Soun as he   
  
instructed them. Continuing her movements, she wondered what Ranma and his   
  
father were doing, and whether the wish had gone correctly.  
  
She hoped he would be back soon. The attacks had slowed over the past week or so,   
  
only a few youma turning up now and then, and lately, none had shown up at all.   
  
Although this was a good sign, she had a feeling that it was only the calm before   
  
the storm. She'd mentioned it to Makoto and Ryoga, and they had both confirmed   
  
that they had also felt it.  
  
Her kata finally reached its end, and she turned to the side, where Ryoga had  
  
been observing her. He nodded approvingly, and she blushed lightly as he stood  
  
and moved towards her.  
  
"You did great, Akane-chan," he said warmly with a smile, "but you still   
  
emphasise your anger as you go through. Try to calm down and clear your  
  
mind." He finished as he reached her and put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I know, Ryoga," she sighed and leaned into him slightly, "but I can't get  
  
rid of this bad feeling...it's making me nervous." She buried her face into  
  
his chest as he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. She mentally  
  
smirked; Ryoga hadn't realized it, but he was slowly overcoming his shyness.  
  
Nabiki poked her head around the door. "Hey, lovebirds? Genma's back, and  
  
he wants to talk to us all." She raised her eyebrows at Akane as she walked  
  
past, revieving a smirk in return. Shrugging, she followed after them.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Genma looked up at the Tendo Dojo and sighed, preparing himself for what he  
  
*knew* was to come. He finally walked in, with a nod to Kasumi, who went  
  
into the dining room where Genma assumed Soun was.   
  
Dropping his pack by the door, he made his way in and greeted his old time   
  
friend. "Soun."  
  
"Genma." The Tendo patriarch responded in kind. "Where is Ranma?" He asked,  
  
after realising that no-one had followed Genma inside. The other man sighed  
  
slightly.  
  
"That..." He trailed off before looking into Soun's eyes with total   
  
seriousness. "Is what I must talk to you about." Soun, fearing the worst,  
  
cleared his throat and called into the rest of the house.  
  
"Kasumi! Nabiki, Akane, Ryoga...can *everyone* please come here?" Silence  
  
was the only response for a few seconds, until Kasumi entered with Nodoka.  
  
Nabiki came through a few seconds later and glanced at her father.  
  
"I'll go get the lovebirds." She sighed and made her way outside, heading  
  
in a beeline for the dojo. Soon after, Ryoga, Akane and Nabiki came in and  
  
took there places at the table, Ryoga sitting in Ranma's vacant spot.  
  
"Daddy? Mr. Saotome? Where's Ranma?" Akane finally asked. Genma was about to  
  
speak but she interrupted. "You said you'd be back, and you are, but where  
  
is he? We need his help!"  
  
Genma sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose, lowering his head slightly.  
  
"That is what I was about to tell you. You see, we found the monkey's paw,  
  
and used the wish in the way we had discussed."  
  
"And what did you wish for?" Ryoga interrupted. Genma shot him an annoyed   
  
look.  
  
"*That* is not important. What *is*, is what happened after." He paused  
  
dramatically. "A ball of light came from his body and sepatated into   
  
five different colors before vanishing. I have reason to believe that it  
  
was his soul, as afterwards, his body simply collapsed. I waited, awake  
  
all night, until in the early morning, the lights returned and formed into  
  
one again, re-entering his body."  
  
"Did he wake up?" Nodoka asked fearfully, clutching her katana. Everyone  
  
leaned forwards to hear his answer.  
  
"Yes, he did, thankfully. I demanded to know what happened, as any father  
  
would. All I could tell was that he had gotten taller, and was slightly   
  
more muscular. He simply told me that he was taller, felt stronger and   
  
faster, and had deeper ki reserves."  
  
"So? Stop avoiding the the question, and tell us: Where. Is. Ranma?!"  
  
Nabiki, the ever-perceptful one, had noticed that he was dragging out  
  
his story, and not answering the question they wanted to know the answer  
  
to.  
  
Genma sighed. "He stayed behind." The reaction, though not unexpected,  
  
was instantaneous.  
  
"*WHAT*?!"  
  
He quickly tried to consolisate them. "He only wants to test the limits  
  
of his improved strength, thats all--" He was interuppted when Nabiki  
  
stood and quickly ran to the phone.  
  
"W-what are you *doing*, Nabiki?" Akane asked. Their only answer was   
  
when whoever she'd called picked up.  
  
"Hey, Ukyo?" Nabiki spoke into the reciever. "I have some information  
  
you might want..."  
  
Genma sat, silent after realising they weren't going to listen to the  
  
reason *why* Ranma had chosen to stay for a short amount of time. A   
  
loud yell of '*WHAT?!*' coming from the reciever told him that the   
  
other residents of Nerima would take the news just as well as the  
  
Tendo's had.   
  
He shook his head as Nabiki began dialing other numbers, shouts of  
  
"*WHAT?!*" coming from each one. The others began to talk amongst   
  
themselves, although he could hear Ryoga's comments of Ranma being  
  
a coward quite clearly.  
  
He could only hope Ranma would arrive soon.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
In a small clearing near where the wish was made...  
  
Ranma was working through his kata as he continued to test his limits. It  
  
turned out that his strength and speed had improved more than he could have  
  
expected by looking at his body, but then again, even before the boost, he  
  
had always been stronger than he looked.  
  
He enjoyed the feeling as he finished the kata and remembered what had   
  
occured in the last day.  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
Ranma stood in a horse stance in front of the tree. His hands, clenched  
  
into fists, were by his hips. He took a deep breath and stepped forward,   
  
hitting the tree like he normally would have, had been executing this  
  
punch on Ryoga, or another tough person...like those youma.  
  
He was totally unprepared for the tree's middle to explode in splinters,  
  
causing the top of it to fall down. He simply stood there, arm outstretched,  
  
amazed at his own, newfound strength.  
  
What had scared him was that he hadn't even powered his fist with ki. He  
  
didn't really want to know what would happen if he used his strongest punch,  
  
powered with as much ki as possible, on a human being.  
  
He turned to a nearby boulder, and punched it harder than he had with the tree.   
  
The entire section he had punched practically blew up, causing a fist-sized   
  
hole to appear. The rest of the surface was cracked, and he kicked it up,  
  
causing it to go flying into the air.  
  
He stared as it landed and smashed into pieces, some bits hitting him, yet  
  
causing no pain. He simply sat down and stared at his hands for a while,  
  
beginning to understand what his father had meant when he said the power  
  
of a warrior would be a burden.  
  
~I'll have to be careful. I don't want to kill someone just by pushing them  
  
away, or break their arm when I hold it to show them something.~  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
He finished eating the canned food he'd had in his pack, and after putting   
  
the empty can aside, he got into a lotus postition and began to meditate,  
  
but not before smirking at another memory.  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
-----------------------------START-------------------------------------  
  
After getting his wits together, Ranma decided to test out his speed, most  
  
specifically his Kachuu Tenshin Amiguriken - the Chestnut Fist.   
  
"Hm. If I got so much stronger, I wonder how fast I'll have become? Maybe  
  
I'll be fast enough so I can dodge those attacks!" He muttered to himself.  
  
He stood and moved over to another tree.   
  
~If I hit a different place on the tree each time I punch, I'll be able  
  
to count *and* see what damage I can do!~ He thought as he got into his   
  
basic stance. He drew in a deep breath, then--  
  
"*KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!*" --the tree was pulverised. He stared at the  
  
tree, now relieved of several layers of bark, and with punch indentations  
  
all over it. There were some fist-sized holes that he could see through.  
  
"Woah." He muttered as he looked at his hands. "How many was that again?  
  
In two seconds, I think it was about 900 punches...a little more maybe. And  
  
the *damage*...I guess I won't be using *that* move against anybody in the  
  
near future."  
  
He sighed and began to run through a kata, picking up speed as he went   
  
through the movements. Soon he was nearing a blur as he continued to  
  
pick up speed.  
  
He stopped suddenly, taking in a few deep breaths before starting once  
  
again, taking it slower this time, but still moving faster than he had   
  
before his power-up.  
  
~It's amazing...the speed I was using was very close to the Kachuu Tenshin  
  
Amiguriken I used to use, and I don't feel the slightest bit worn out,  
  
even after using such speeds. In fact, I feel as though I can go much  
  
faster...but how and why? Even at the speeds I'm using now, I'm going   
  
faster than I used to be able to, but it still feels slow to me.~ As he   
  
continued practising, he couldn't help but think.  
  
~And why do I have the feeling I can do so much more?~  
  
---------------------------FLASHBACK-----------------------------------  
  
------------------------------END--------------------------------------  
  
He entered the meditative state and began to search for his center. As he'd  
  
done so before, he knew what to look for. Following the beats of his heart,   
  
he finally found his center, but got a shock.  
  
As his mind gave him a representation of what was in his own body, he gasped.  
  
Instead of the usual ball of bright white light mixed with blue which was a   
  
representation of his soul - and, in effect, his ki - he'd seen the ball of  
  
white with five differently colored sections in it.  
  
Now that he focused, he could see the colors more clearly. Once was blue,   
  
another black, one gold, one green, and one red. If he focused, he could  
  
see some sort of image in the ball.  
  
When he looked into the white sections that separated the other colors  
  
from each other, he could almost see himself; like a clouded mirror. He   
  
focused his mind and 'saw' the images in each of the colors.  
  
In the golden one was an image of himself, with a proud smirk and an aura  
  
of gold. Also, his hair flickers from black to gold. In the blue one  
  
was another image of himself. He almost backpedalled when he realised that, in  
  
this color, he seemed to have slitted eyes, like a cat's. He also had spikier  
  
hair, and from what he could see of the shoulders, had a tight black bodysuit  
  
on.  
  
In the black one, he seemed to be barechested, with shorter hair. What really  
  
unnerved him was that as his eyes flickered from blue to gold, he could *feel*  
  
the ki of a killer. With a mental shudder, he looked to the green one. In it,  
  
he had short red hair and a long scar running from his hairline, over his  
  
right eye, and finished close to his chin. He also appeared to be wearing  
  
the clothing of a samurai.  
  
He finally looked into the red color's reflection, and his eyes widened when  
  
he saw his girl-side reflected there. She had red hair, but it was very   
  
bouncy and stuck up all over the place. she had on what looked like a tunic  
  
top, with shoulder guards and a cape attached.  
  
He wondered at the images. Each time he had looked into one, he had felt  
  
like something was missing, and it was tickling the back of his mind...  
  
he knew what it was, but every time he tried to grasp it, it slipped   
  
from him.  
  
His brow furrowed, he focused as much as possible. Sweat began to emerge  
  
from his brow. However, each time he got close to remembering - he  
  
assumed that they were memories - he would loose just enough concentration  
  
to allow the faint images to fall through the fingers of his mind.  
  
The one he had gotten the closest to was the blue one. For some reason,  
  
it sort of *felt* closer than the others. Resting for a moment, he once  
  
again focused, but kept his concentration solely on that portion of his   
  
soul.  
  
His mind touched something, and Ranma got a strange familiar feeling as  
  
an image of a small animal-like creature waveringly appeared before him,  
  
before he fell unconscious from the strain of focusing his mind so much.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
At a large shrine, quite a way from Tokyo...  
  
Ran-oh-ki, the cabbit companion of one Ranma Masaki, awoke suddenly   
  
after feeling it's master's mind brush against it's own for a   
  
second.   
  
However, it was enough to let him know that Ranma was alive, and more  
  
or less safe, though the cabbit wondered why it had only felt it then,  
  
and not before...  
  
To be continued...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
This was a pain to write, mainly because I couldn't seem to get it  
  
to a good length. It kept seeming short, but I had little to extend, so I  
  
ended up adding bits of a vision into it, rather than keeping them in   
  
chapter 5.   
  
To clear up the timescale slightly, Genma and Ranma arrived and made  
  
the wish on the evening of the seventh day. Genma arrived back at the Tendo's  
  
around two weeks after they'd left, since he was slightly faster without  
  
Ranma with him.   
  
Because of this, everything Ranma has done at the end of the chapter is, in  
  
effect, a flashback...he'll arrive a few days later for the Tendo's, but to  
  
him, it'll have been several days training and the rest travelling.  
  
  
  
I haven't typed the travelling part since it would be sort of boring  
  
until the next chapter. If you still don't understand, just contact me and  
  
I'll give you the total run-down.  
  
I added in the scenes inside Ranma's mind, and you should be able to  
  
guess which of Ranma's other parents will be turning up next...if not, shame  
  
on you! I added the last bit simply to round things off. It wasn't in the   
  
original design, but hey, who cares?  
  
  
  
Special Thanks:  
  
To Trooper1023 for allowing me to write the main parts for this  
  
chapter and the following ones as well.   
  
Updated: 11/14/01  
  
Typed up the basis of the story.  
  
Updated: 01/03/04  
  
Completed the section of Ranma's 'revival'. Moved training section   
  
to the end. Also changed the amount of time since the last youma attack.  
  
Added some extra scenes to Ranma's training to fill it up a bit.   
  
As this is the first time I've written so much, tell me if it was alright  
  
by e-mailing me: grgreves@breathemail.net. PLEASE ask that it be forwarded  
  
to me, Ranechi (it's my uncle's address)!  
  
Hm. I filled out the Tendo's conversation, but will have to remember  
  
to clear up the timelines as they stand for the next chapter.  
  
Updated: 01/04/04  
  
Finished. Still a little short, some revisions might be made...  
  
other than that, complete! I'll be uploading this to Fanfiction.net  
  
as soon as possible.  
  
C&C to: bjhaberman@prodigy.net  
  
Find the latest of my fics at: http://Trooper1023.tripod.com/ 


	5. Chapter 5: Desperate Times

Disclaimer: All characters and concepts in this story are owned and copyrighted   
  
by their respective creators. They DO NOT belong to me. I'm just borrowing them.  
  
"Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior"  
  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon x-over (primary)  
  
- Multiple Anime x-over (secondary)  
  
Co-Written by Trooper1023 and Ranechi  
  
Based on original story idea, "The Super Ranma", by Piccolo181  
  
View at: http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/idea.htm  
  
=text= is transmissions (long-distance communicators)  
  
[text] is sounds/actions  
  
*text* is emphasized words  
  
/text/ is thoughts  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Part II: Trans-dimensional Awakening  
  
Chapter 5: Desperate Times  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The Masaki Home, day 12...  
  
"I can't believe I still haven't found him..." Hakubi Washuu, self-proclaimed  
  
greatest scientific mind in the universe, muttered to herself dejectedly  
  
as she left her lab through the small closet.  
  
Tenchi and Ryoko's son, Ranma Misaki, had simply vanished from their home  
  
a few days ago. There was nothing to signify where he could have gone...  
  
no note, no acting strange beforehand, none of his clothes gone to signify  
  
a camping trip.  
  
They'd looked everywhere; Washuu had been in her lab scanning for any Juraian  
  
energy around the planet, but had come up empty handed. Ryoko was getting  
  
desperate, and Tenchi, although acting calm, was obviously no better. She  
  
and Yosho were jast as bad; even Sasami was worried.  
  
Having grabbed some more supplies for her fridge in the lab, Washuu headed  
  
back towards the closet, glancing into the living room only to freeze in  
  
mid-step.  
  
She turned her wide eyes onto the television once more, and entered the   
  
room, sitting next to a horrified Sasami who had her hands over her mouth.  
  
On the screen was a special bulletin, and a young girl who looked like she  
  
was only just finishing high-school, with a helmet-style hair cut and brown  
  
hair was holding a microphone and looking into the camera.  
  
=This is Nabiki Tendo, reporting live from the Juuban district of Tokyo.  
  
Those who have been watching these special bulletins will know that  
  
super-powered youma and daemons have been appearing in and around the Tokyo  
  
region.= There were several loud booms in the background, and dust could   
  
be seen flying up into the air.  
  
=Right now, the Tokyo Defenders have split into several teams to deal with  
  
the threat. I'm here at the battle site, where Team Alpha have nearly  
  
destroyed the few youma that have attacked here; there are several more  
  
battles taking place just North of here.=  
  
Washuu watched as the camera panned around to see a group of people fighting  
  
what looked to be a cross between a yeti and a scorpian, with a wolf's head.  
  
Both she and Sasami stared at the screen, unable to tear their eyes away,   
  
as one of the fighters - a short-haired girl who looked like she was in  
  
high school - get backhanded into a building, the wall collapsing on top of  
  
her.  
  
The boy with a bandanna fired a beam of green energy at the youma, but all  
  
it seemed to do was merely annoy it as he ran to the building, beginning  
  
to dig the girl out, apparently oblivious to the youma advancing behind  
  
him.  
  
At that moment, two yells were heard, accompanied with blasts of energy.  
  
Unlike the green beam, these appeared to hurt the monster as it cried  
  
out in pain. Another round pummeled it before it finally turned to dust.  
  
The camera panned around to the reporter once more, showing the devestation  
  
clearly...buildings had been knocked down, the tarmac had been destroyed in  
  
some areas and sported craters in others...cars had been tossed around,  
  
and Team Alpha's fighters were all sporting one rather serious injury or  
  
another. The bandanna'd boy was cradling the short-haired girl, some of  
  
her joints badly bruised. He himself was limping.  
  
Finally, the reporter finished rolling the camera with a breath of relief.  
  
=Well people, as you can see, the Tokyo Defenders are holding out for now.  
  
Also, we are pleased to say that lately, the attacks are coming less  
  
frequently! Have a safe day, we'll be back with the next special report!=  
  
With a click, the screen went black, the remote held in Washuu's trembling  
  
hand. Both females stared at the screen for a second before Washuu stood,  
  
slowly walking to her lab.  
  
"Oh my," Sasami murmered. "Maybe I should tell Tenchi..."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Washuu rubbed her eyes as she typed away at her computer. She was berating  
  
herself in her mind for her mistake. Sure, her computer had been picking  
  
up some weird reading for the past weeks, but she had dismissed it. Now  
  
she was sereously regretting that discision.  
  
She turned as she heard someone approaching her from behind. Sure enough,  
  
there was Tenchi, with Ryoko next to him. She noticed the Tenchi-ken at  
  
his waist, and Ryoko was holding Ryo-oh-ki aand Ran-oh-ki in her arms.  
  
Ran-oh-ki was mewling sadly, and Washuu wondered why.  
  
She snapped her attention back to Tenchi as he stepped forwards.   
  
"Sasami told us what was happening in Tokyo. We've decided that we'll go  
  
help there. I...I'm sure that wherever Ranma is, he can look after   
  
himself." He said, nodded as if to confirm it to himself.  
  
"Mom, I need my limiter removed." Ryoko said seriously. It had been years  
  
since she'd had it off, but it looked like she needed to be at full power  
  
once more.  
  
Washuu sighed. She'd expected this though, and hurriedly removed the   
  
limiter. Ryoko was flooded with power before she brought it back under  
  
her control.  
  
The scientist glanced at the duo once more before turning to her screen.  
  
"I managed to hack into some of the reports from the television. It  
  
turns out that these 'Youma' and 'Daemons' have been appearing for a   
  
long time, but were repelled by a band of fighters known as...where is  
  
it...ah, the 'Sailor Senshi'."  
  
Tenchi and Ryoko nodded as they leaned over her shoulder, glancing over  
  
the picture as they were more interested with the information.  
  
"Hm...it appears that recently, these attacks have become a lot more   
  
powerful, and the Sailor Senshi began to fail until another group joined  
  
in. They were dubbed as the 'Nerima Wreaking Crew', a band of strong   
  
martial artists, led by two...Ranma Saotome, and Ryoga Hibiki."  
  
/Ranma?/ Everyone thought. /Shame there isn't pictures of those two.../  
  
"Ahem. Recently though, the youma have been attacking with the deamons,  
  
who are more powerful, and they're loosing ground fast against them. Hm,  
  
it says that Juuban has already been evacuated."  
  
Ryoko leaned forwards. "Does it have any information on the youma and   
  
deamons?" She asked.  
  
Washuu simply called up more information. "Here we are...ug, those things  
  
are ugly." She muttered as she looked at the mutated animal-like creatures.  
  
The couple behind her were in silent agreement.  
  
"Okay...these things are fast and powerful magical creatures...and it seems  
  
like they improve each time. Interesting. The things seem to differ each  
  
time, but the attacks are all centered around Juuban, even if they're   
  
spreading into the rest of Tokyo."  
  
As she finished her report, Tenchi and Ryoko stood, heading for the exit.  
  
As they left, Washuu called out to them, "I'll tell you if something else  
  
comes up."  
  
Tenchi paused, nodding to her. "Thanks, Washuu-chan." He said before  
  
heading out. With a slight sigh she turned to her computer and began  
  
her work.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Tenchi gave Ryoko's hand a squeeze as they left the lab. "Don't worry,  
  
Ryoko-chan. Everything'll be okay." Ryoko's shoulders slumped as she  
  
leaned on her husband.  
  
"I...I know. It's just that first Ranma disappears, and now these   
  
attacks...we'll be training seriously again as well...everythings  
  
just gone spinning out of control." She sighed.  
  
"I know, but we'll be okay. I'm sure Ranma is too. You never know, he  
  
might have heard about the attacks and gone to Tokyo to help." He   
  
knew it was little comfort, but still. "I have a feeling he'll turn  
  
up soon."  
  
The two headed outside, and Ryoko muttered, "I hope so, Tenchi...I   
  
really hope so."  
  
The next four days were hectic. Washuu was giving them constant updates  
  
on the situation via her connection with Ryoko, while the two lovebirds  
  
were training nearly non-stop.  
  
The two were pleased to note that their skills had not gone very rusty,  
  
and they were up to full performance in next to no time. Then, at the end  
  
of the fourth day, a hurried alert from Washuu got the two bursting into  
  
the lab.  
  
"What is it, what is it, mom?!" Ryoko asked worriedly, Tenchi nodding in  
  
agreement. Washuu smirked at them.  
  
"Well, I was going over the reading I took over the past few nights,  
  
and I found something interesting." She typed at her computer, and a  
  
map appeared in the air. It showed their home, and Tokyo as well.  
  
Suddenly, Five dots appeared on the screen, one emerging from their  
  
own home! Washuu pointed to the blue dot that had left their house.  
  
"This is Ranma's energy signature. These other four I coan't pinpoint,  
  
but they all have some level of likeness to Ranma."  
  
The dots finally met over a small area and then vanished, leaving a  
  
white dot behind until it too faded. The screen vanished and the two  
  
turned to Washuu again.  
  
"I believe that if we can find the person who is the last power   
  
signature we can find out where Ranma has gone. I've also pinpointed  
  
the area where the signatures met, so you two should check it out."  
  
The two nodded, slight frowns on their faces as they left. Once they  
  
had done so, Washuu turned to her monitor. 'What is going on here?'  
  
She thought as she typed. 'Where could he have gone?'  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Night at Ranma's Training camp, day 15...  
  
It was dark, but Ranma didn't care as he continued to meditate. He had   
  
his eyes shut anyway, so he couldn't tell the difference.  
  
Ever since the discovery he had made with the blue section of his soul,  
  
he had been meditating hard to try and access it. Each time he did, he  
  
would catch a glimpse of something.  
  
He had done this several times. The images had been of a shire, a   
  
cyan haired woman with spiky hair holding a beam of red light like a  
  
weapon, a blue haired young woman with a serene smile, and several   
  
angular shaped blades of dark blue energy.  
  
Also, every time he had the visions, a name would come to him. This  
  
didn't help much, as he'd never been to the 'Misaki Shrine', or  
  
heard of anyone called 'Ryoko' or 'Sasami'. The energy was different.  
  
When he saw it, he could almost feel the power they gave off. He  
  
knew they were called 'Light Hawk Wings', but that didn't help him  
  
in the least.  
  
He entered his mind once more, and sure enough, the white sphere with  
  
the colored patches appeared in his mind. He once more focused on the  
  
blue one, as for some reason, it remained the easiest to focus on.  
  
Sure enough, he began to get some strange feelings from it, but since  
  
he knew this came before the visions, he put up with it. There was a  
  
feeling of contentment, and a patting sensation. It finally passed  
  
and he wondered what he would see this time.  
  
An image finally began to form, but this time, it was a moving image.  
  
An elderly looking man with long hair in a low ponytail held a   
  
bokken in front of him. He could see that he also held a wooden sword.  
  
The man swung and he parried just as easily. He was about to swing   
  
when--  
  
Ranma mentally jerked as another vision engulfed him, but this was  
  
different from the last. It felt like he was actually there. Glancing  
  
around, he noticed the Tokyo Tower in smoking ruins about him. There  
  
was nothing left, and he stood on bare soil with small markers   
  
coming out of the ground. His keen eyesight could depict the words,  
  
and they made his eyes water.  
  
Here lies Akane Tendo  
  
Died in Glorious Battle  
  
Here lies Ryoga Hibiki  
  
Died protecting his beloved  
  
Ranma's eyes scrolled over the markers. Sure enough, everyone he cared  
  
for was there. That was when he read the last one.  
  
Here lies Ukyo Kuonji  
  
Died in Glorious Battle  
  
"You shall remain forever in my Heart"  
  
Tears began to flow as he cried out as loud as he could.  
  
"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ranma sat up gasping for air, the image of the last marker carved into  
  
his mind as he stared into nothing. It was a while before he finally  
  
gained coherence and looked about himself.  
  
He sighed, calming himself down, as he lay in the dirt. "Just...a   
  
dream...he got out, before closing his eyes. They snapped open again, and  
  
he stood hurriedly, his eyes widening as he finally realised. "No, not a  
  
dream...it was a vision!"  
  
He turned to his camping area and packed as fast as he could,   
  
determination clear on his face. Then he ran, his destination: Tokyo.  
  
/Please. If there is a god out there, please let me be in time./ He   
  
thought grimly as he hit the treetops.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Day 16, Nerima district of Tokyo  
  
Around the Tokyo region, four dark, swirling portals grew in the air. If  
  
anyone was nearby, they fled, for they knew what those portals were used  
  
for, as it scared them to the bone.  
  
In an almost syncronised manner, a daemon emerged from each portal and  
  
roared loudly, before going on to destroy everything in sight, aiming  
  
mostly for the civilians.  
  
Akane was at home with Ryoga, enjoying the peace which they knew was not  
  
to last. Sure enough, the comunicators Ami, AKA Sailor Mercury had made  
  
for them began to beep urgently.  
  
Akane snatched hers up and opened it, seeing Ani's face. "Where are   
  
they?" She asked determindly. The others had heard the beeping and  
  
were now awaiting instructions.  
  
=There's four of them--= Ami started, but was interrupted.  
  
"FOUR?!" Everyone yelled. One was bad enough, but four?!  
  
=Yes, four, all super-charged, but I've detected something odd about them.  
  
The Mercury Computer can't tell what it is yet. We will be splitting up  
  
as they are spread about the region.= She nodded to someone off screen.  
  
=It's been decided. Alpha Team is taking the one to the south of Nerima.  
  
Beta Team are with the one by the Tokyo Tower; Gamma Team are here in  
  
Juuban; while Delta Team taked the one on the borders of Nerima and   
  
Juuban. Got it?=  
  
"We'll see you there." Akane nodded, turning off the comunicator. "Okay  
  
everyone, let's get going!" The others nodded in agreement, but Ryoga  
  
only smirked and cracked his knucles.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Alpha Team soon found the daemon as it was close to them. They all  
  
shuddered at how ugly it was and prepared for battle.  
  
The daemon was eight feet high and had the head of a bald crow with a   
  
tiger's mouth that dripped drool everywhere as it roared threateningly.  
  
The spittle melted the ground below it, proving that it was in fact a   
  
strong acid.  
  
Ryoga glared at the creature. It was getting harder to use his Shi Shi  
  
Hokodan as he couldn't get very depressed, being Akane's boyfriend. So,  
  
he imagined that he was the last one left.  
  
/They're all better than me...Ranma especially...Akane's dead and I   
  
couldn't help.../ His depressed thoughts manifested themselves in his  
  
trademark green aura, before he threw out his hands with a cry of,  
  
"SHI SHI HOKODAN!!"   
  
The blast headed to the monster, a vaccuum blade following it. However,  
  
to everyones astonishment and horror, the daemon twisted in what looked  
  
like an impossible manner for its huge body, and evaded both attacks.  
  
"SHI SHI HOKODAN!!" Ryoga roared again, the blast being larger than the  
  
last. However, the beast avoided it once again. This time however it  
  
charged forwards, aiming for Soun.  
  
Since he was out of practise, the Tendo patriarch failed to totally   
  
avoid the blow, which instead of implailing him tossed him back and  
  
into a building, causing it to collapse.  
  
"WHY YOU--" Akane yelled, anger coming to embrace her. She was so angry  
  
she acted on instinct and threw her hands before her, releasing a yell.  
  
"YAAAAAAA!" To everyone's surprise, a beam of red ki flew from her   
  
hands, almost hitting the monster.  
  
Shocked that she had just pulled off a ki blast, Akane froze, only coming  
  
back to reality as the monster charged her.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Beta Team arrived at the Tokyo Tower just in time to see the daemon  
  
attempting to destroy the supports, which would cause the building  
  
to collapse on itself, and causing massive damage.  
  
Cologne was thankful that this area was nearly completely deserted,  
  
people realising that the Tokyo Tower was quickly becoming a hot spot  
  
for deamons to destroy buildings.  
  
Ryu Kumon, a recent addition to the group but a welcome one, leapt in  
  
first with a vaccuum blade. The monster froze, seemingly sensing the   
  
attack from behind it, and leapt high into the air, landing before   
  
them.  
  
Cologne didn't spend a second pondering how on earth it could have   
  
sensed the attack and instead leapt out of its range while gathering  
  
energy from the air around her, preparing for a chi blast.  
  
The small ball of white energy grew till it was the size of a baseball,  
  
when Cologne forced it through the air and to the monster. It twisted  
  
at the seemingly last second, getting only a superficial cut. The old  
  
woman cursed under her breath as the creature turned to her.  
  
However, Sailor Mars and Sailor Neptune chose that time to launch their  
  
magical blasts at the daemon, which roared in pain as it as clipped on  
  
the back.  
  
It turned to them, and swiped a claw in their direction. To everyone's  
  
surprise, a three red claw marks appeared in the air and travelled  
  
at a fast rade to slam into both girls, giving them quite deep cuts.  
  
The others in the group made a mental note to watch out for those  
  
attacks; unlike the senshi, they did not have super-fast, magically  
  
enhanced healing and protection. If they were hit by the beams, they  
  
would most likely die of blood loss.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Sailor Venus and Sailor Uranus engaged the daemon that had appeared in  
  
Juuban while waiting for the rest of Gamma Team to arrive and give  
  
them some help.  
  
"Venus Love-Me Chain!" Sailor Venus cried out, the heart-shaped links  
  
closing in around the daemon and trapping it. Uranus smirked and hit  
  
it with her own blast.  
  
"World Shaking!" Her blast smashed into the daemon, but instead of just  
  
crumbling to dust like most of the other youma it roared and slashed   
  
through the magical chain that bound it.  
  
"Wha-?!" Venus was so shocked she didn't see the claw heading for her  
  
head until a bomb smashed into the outstretched limb, causing a small  
  
explosion, enough to knock it off its path for her.  
  
She finally came back to earth when the rest of Team Gamma leapt down  
  
from a nearby rooftop. A flash of thanks to the perverted troll went  
  
through her, but was soon forgotten.  
  
THe now complete Team Gamma got into their respective positions and  
  
prepared to once mroe engage the enemy.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The Delta Team had hit it off with the monster immediately. The group  
  
had gone on the offensive, but Ami Mizuno, AKA Sailor Mercury sat to   
  
the side of the battle, typing away at her computer hoping to find a  
  
weakness in the next-generation daemons.  
  
She was distracted momentarily by Pantyhose Tarou's cursed form slamming  
  
into the ground next to her. He was covered in small, superficial cuts,  
  
but he had some nasty bruising forming around his stomach.  
  
However, he simply climbed back to his feet, renewed anger in his eyes  
  
as he charged the disgusting daemon with vigor. She silently wished him  
  
well.  
  
A stream of black petals flew past her also, and a manical laugh floated  
  
down from one of the rooftops. The last member of Delta Team had arrived;  
  
Kodachi Kuno had decided to join forces with her brother and the rest  
  
of the team.  
  
A whisper of "Dead Scream." Was her confirmation of Setsuna Meiou, (AKA  
  
Sailor Pluto)'s contribution to the battle. Hotaru, as Sailor Saturn,  
  
stood near her, ready to use her Silence Wall to fend off any blasts  
  
that came close to either of them.  
  
Mercury typed harder and continued working frantically, trying to ignore  
  
the manical laughs of the Kuno siblings as they attempted, fruitlessly,  
  
to damage the daemon.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ryoga slammed shoulder-first into the daemon, not hurting it, but at   
  
least taking it's attention from Akane as she regained her bearings.  
  
He was backhanded in the chest for his efforts and sent careening  
  
into a nearby building, much like what had happened to Mr. Tendo.  
  
He groaned in pain as he managed to dig himself out of the rubble.  
  
He checked himself and let out another groan. A couple of cracked  
  
ribs, but none broken. They still hurt like hell though. He looked  
  
up to see Genma fire another round of vaccuum blades at the daemon.  
  
As the barrage continued, Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter added their  
  
two cents in with their magical blasts.  
  
"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"  
  
"Jupiter Oak Evoloution!"   
  
The two blasts seemed to do more damage than the martial artist's own.  
  
Akane fire another ki blast as she ran up to him, trying to see if he  
  
was okay. They were both startled when Sailor Moon crashed into the   
  
rubble mext to them.  
  
The two hurried to remove the rubble, trusting those left on the   
  
battlefield to hold the daemon off for a few more minutes. They  
  
finally uncovered one of the most powerful senshi, only to find her   
  
unconscious even as her wounds healed.  
  
  
  
Akane looked at Ryoga despairingly. Things were not going well for  
  
them. A second later a clawed hand came flying into his back,  
  
his body folding before going flying forward, landing face-first  
  
on the ground where he kept sliding.  
  
A groan was heard from him. Akane began to feel relieved until she  
  
felt a strong hand close around her throat. She began to flail  
  
wildly, her panic overriding and thoughts except one: she was   
  
going to die.  
  
"HELP MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Akane's terrified scream cut into everyone's   
  
heart.  
  
"AKANE!!" Ryoga screamed back, hauling himself back to his feet with   
  
the last of his strength. Sailor Jupiter unleashed the longest string   
  
of curses ever used in the Japanese language and threw blast after   
  
blast at the daemon's back. The daemon roared in pain and punched Jupiter   
  
ten meters up the block; all she'd managed to do was give Akane a few   
  
more seconds of life...  
  
The daemon began to tighten its grip. Akane's screams turned to cries   
  
of mortal pain. Ryoga took one step toward the daemon and collapsed   
  
forward. /It's too much. We can't win. It's over. They've taken Aka--/  
  
...But those few seconds were enough. Out of nowhere, a voice no one   
  
thought they'd hear again roared, "Let her go!!--"   
  
To be continued...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
T1023: Cliff-hanger!!! Yes, I know you hate me with all your heart,   
  
buuuut... so what? That isn't stopping me! =P  
  
R-Chi: Heh heh heh...I just love typing battle scenes...  
  
Special Thanks:  
  
  
  
To Trooper1023, for letting me type his story!!  
  
Updated: 2/22/02  
  
Main order planned out.  
  
Updated: 12/29/03  
  
  
  
Okay, It's started. I haven't worked on it since I was on break  
  
over Christmas, but I've got spare time now.   
  
I've put some muscle onto the chapter's skeleton, but it's going   
  
to need fleshing out a bit...I mean, a lot. I'll probably keep adding more  
  
as I'm trying to get this to about 25-27KB, and it's hard. Trust me on this.  
  
I extended the Tenchi bit slightly, added the vision, and put in an  
  
intro into the daemon fights...and that's it. Sorry, but I'll update soon...  
  
I promise!  
  
Updated: 1/13/04  
  
I've fleshed the chapter out more now, but it's still too short...  
  
Well, I plan on adding bits later anyway.   
  
  
  
Added Daemon fight scenes, edited the end, added some dialogue...you  
  
know, normal stuff to flesh it out a bit and make it longer. You never know,  
  
stranger things have happened!  
  
Just something totally useless...did you know how weird it is for me  
  
to type in the date with the month first, not the day? I've grown up in   
  
England, and here, instead of 1/13/04 we write it 13/1/04. I have to keep  
  
reminding myself! .  
  
Updated: 1/14/04  
  
I've started the battle scenes, woo-hoo! I love fights! (Especially  
  
being in them!) I plan on doing cut scenes, so you can see what's happening  
  
to the other teams as they're fighting.  
  
Don't worry, the Tenchi crew will show up soon. I just needed to put  
  
some more of the NWC into the chapter - it was all Tenchi crew-Ranma training  
  
-Tenchi crew. Besides, I wanted to do the battle scenes ^_-.  
  
Updated: 1/15/04  
  
Complete! This was tons easier to write, most likely because their was  
  
lots for me to work with.  
  
Anyway, it's done, so I'm starting cp.6 (joy). I'll try to get it to   
  
about 25-30kb - I can only improve, after all!  
  
C&C to: bjhaberman@prodigy.net  
  
Find the latest of my fics at: http://Trooper1023.tripod.com/ 


	6. Chapter 6: On Wings of Light & Hope

Disclaimer: All characters and concepts in this story are owned and copyrighted   
  
by their respective creators. They DO NOT belong to me. I'm just borrowing them.  
  
"Ultimate Crisis, Ultimate Warrior"  
  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon x-over (primary)  
  
- Multiple Anime x-over (secondary)  
  
Written by Ranechi and Trooper1023  
  
Based on original story idea, "The Super Ranma", by Piccolo181  
  
View at: http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/idea.htm  
  
=text= is transmissions (i.e. through a voice link)  
  
[text] is sounds/actions  
  
*text* is emphasised words/thoughts  
  
~text~ is thoughts  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Part II: Trans-dimensional Awakening  
  
Chapter 6: Wings of Light and Hope  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
A red-and-black blur closed on the daemon, screaming "Let her go!!   
  
***KACHUU TENSHIN AMIGURIKEN***!!!" Rather than the expected volley of a   
  
several hundred punches over a few seconds, nearly a thousand flew in   
  
*one* second! The daemon died in a spray of blood and pulverized body   
  
parts. Akane was pulled from the grasp of what remained of the daemon's   
  
arm. Her rescuer vaulted forty feet into the air, leaping away from the   
  
battlefield.  
  
"SON! YOU'RE BACK!" cried Genma, recognizing Ranma's cloths and braided   
  
black hair. ~Though it is longer than I remember it...~  
  
"YAY! WE'RE SAVED!!" Sailor Moon was as enthusiastic as ever.  
  
As soon as she realized who had saved her, Akane latched onto him. "Damnit   
  
you baka, why!? Why Ranma?!" she cried into his chest.  
  
"Wha--Why *what*?"  
  
"Some brother you are... Why were you gone for so long? I..." Akane   
  
sniffled. "I almost thought you weren't coming back..."  
  
Ignoring everything else, Ranma cradled his pseudo-sister protectively in   
  
his arms. Trying to sooth her, he said, "A-Akane... I'm sorry... I... just   
  
didn't know it was gonna take so long... Outta nowhere, I had this   
  
vision... I saw you--" Ranma's voice cracked with emotion, even though his   
  
face remained calm. "--'N everybody else I know... d-dead... I ran my heart   
  
out tryin' ta get here in time." He bent forward to look into Akane's eyes.   
  
"A-are you OK? I..."  
  
"...Yeah," Akane whispered. "I'm OK."  
  
Ranma sighed. "Akane..." She looked up at him. "Right now ain't the time   
  
for this. I gotta find the other daemons and help finish 'em."   
  
Akane nodded and stepped back from him, then spoke up again. "Out of the   
  
Juuban area, four daemons attacked at once..."  
  
"FOUR?!?"  
  
"Yes, *four*. The Tokyo Defenders have split up into teams; each one went   
  
after a different daemon. This is Alpha Team: me, Father, Mr. Saotome,   
  
Ryoga, and Sailors Moon and Jupiter. There are three others. The Japanese   
  
Military has formed a perimeter; with their help we've managed to keep the   
  
fighting contained to a one-half square mile area."  
  
"Got it." Ranma suddenly smirked. "Stay outta trouble, OK tomboy? This   
  
is gonna be messy."  
  
"Only if I know you're coming back to us, you jerk. Besides, it's all   
  
ready messy," Akane replied in turn, wearing a grin of her own. Seeing that   
  
grin, Ranma felt somewhat more at ease and turned to the other members   
  
of Alpha team.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Several miles away, outside Tokyo...  
  
"I copy, Washuu. We're heading for the Nerima district now."  
  
Ryo-oh-ki confirmed that. "Miao!" The distance began to shrink steadily.   
  
=And Ran-oh-ki?= came Washuu's voice through the link.  
  
Ryoko frowned. "He ran off just after we landed. I dunno where he was   
  
headed..."  
  
=Strange... Looks like he went ahead of you.= Washuu murmered in thought.  
  
It was not like Ran-oh-ki to run off for no reason.  
  
"To Tokyo?" Ryoko asked, also confused by the cabbit's actions.  
  
=Yes.= Washuu said distractedly, still puzzling over her thoughts on the  
  
strange goings on.  
  
Ryo-oh-ki cut the small silence. "Miao miao!"  
  
"I know Ryo-oh-ki, I know!" Ryoko clenched her fists. "Mom?"  
  
=Yes?= asked the scientist, her attention snapping back to the problem at  
  
hand.  
  
"I found signs of someone training in fighting techniques not far from   
  
the camping site you pointed us at. What's bothering me an' Ryo-oh-ki   
  
is that, from the look of it, Ranma *wasn't* the one training there."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Washuu stiffened in her lab chair. "What do you mean, 'from the look of it'?"  
  
She had hoped it was Ranma, since that area had been used as a camping site.  
  
Although she had no idea why Ranma would up and go like that without  
  
telling anyone. Now, that thought was down the gutter.   
  
=Well, all of the physical damage looked to be from the impacts of fist-sized   
  
objects. I know Ranma is quite good at fighting unarmed, but there isn't a   
  
single sword cut here. Ranma never went exclusively unarmed - after all, the   
  
energy blades that he can call up as a Masu can't be taken from him.=  
  
"Interesting..."  
  
=Very.= Ryoko's response was a dry one. =There's more though. One, the signs   
  
of energy blasts being used are here, but none of them match the patterns   
  
that blasts of quantum energy create. Two, Ryo-oh-ki's sensors registered   
  
only a tiny amount of quantum energy in the blast craters. Three, she didn't   
  
detect any Juraian energy at all! Lastly, the energy that Ryo-oh-ki did   
  
detect isn't of any kind that she or I recognize. You want the data?=  
  
"What do *you* think?" said Washuu with a grin.  
  
=Ha. That's what I thought. Sending data... now.= Ryoko said, hitting a   
  
button on Ryo-oh-ki's display board.  
  
A stream of readings flooded the primary monitor in front of Washuu.   
  
~Hmm... Ryo-oh-ki's right, this isn't quantum or Juraian energy. In fact, it   
  
looks more like...~ Washu called up an old file. It contained a variety of   
  
energy readings taken when Ranma was twelve, including a reading that had   
  
been a mystery until she had mentioned it to Yosho. He had explained the   
  
concept of 'ki' to her at that point. "Ryoko, these readings are of someone's   
  
ki. That's what Ryo-oh-ki was detecting."  
  
=Ki?= came Tenchi's voice.  
  
"Remember what Yosho told us about how life/spirit energy can be harnessed   
  
to enhance physical abilities by any living being?"  
  
=Wait a second. Didn't Ranma also use ki? In addition to his Masu abilities   
  
and the Light Hawk Wings?= asked Ryoko.  
  
"Correct! According to these readings, whoever produced the ki is far better   
  
at focusing it than Ranma is, since this signature is very concentrated and   
  
defined." The scientist continued for Ryoko.  
  
=So who...=  
  
Washuu cut through Tenchi's question off. "Also according to these readings,   
  
whoever produced the ki is practically Ranma's twin."  
  
=NANI?!?= Ryoko's yell mingled with Tenchi's.  
  
=MIAO?!?= added Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The first thing that Alpha Team noticed was Ranma's height. He was now   
  
topping six feet easily. And he was bigger too, more muscular. That didn't   
  
change his personality though...  
  
"Jeez Ryoga, you're a mess!"  
  
"You just *had* to remind me, didn't you." Ryoga scowled.  
  
"Eh he... gomen pig-boy--"  
  
"Stop picking on Ryoga, baka!" [WHAM]  
  
Ranma rubbed his head where he'd been hit with the mallet. "Ite! Wha'd you   
  
do that for!?"  
  
Akane was *not* happy. "You're impossible, you know that?! You're not even   
  
back five minutes and you're all ready picking on Ryoga!" She was so unhappy   
  
that she didn't notice that her mallet-strike had only staggered Ranma for   
  
a few seconds, rather than imbedding him in the ground like it normally did.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, Akane! I didn't mean ta pick on him. It's an old reflex!   
  
Honestly!" He protested in his defence.  
  
Ryoga rolled his eyes, then adjusted the makeshift wrap around his broken   
  
ribs with a wince. "A reflex, huh? So was my 'RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!' battle   
  
cry. If I've gotten over that, how come you haven't gotten over those   
  
'pig-boy' cracks?"  
  
Ranma groaned. "I can't believe we're having this discussion right *now*."   
  
He paused as he noticed something. "Why are you all staring at me like that?   
  
It's really unnerving ya know." A massive explosion to the southeast cut   
  
off any further reply. "Shit! What was *that*?!"  
  
Akane paled. "Oh no. That's the direction Gamma team went... Ukyo too--"  
  
"WHAT!?!" Ranma was gone in a flash, chunks of tarmac flying in odd directions   
  
from wherever his feet hit the ground.  
  
"...I don't think I've ever seen the boy move so *fast*, eh Saotome?" Ranma's   
  
father didn't reply because he couldn't get his jaw off the ground.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ukyo called out to her teammate just in time as the black spike flew towards  
  
the other girl's position. "Venus! To your left!"   
  
The Sailor Scout dodged just in time, managing to get away with a simple   
  
graze rather than a hole in her chest. The black spike dissipitated the   
  
second it missed her, and she sighed in relief...only to give a yelp as  
  
she noticed a dark claw decending towards her.  
  
At the last second, a small bomb knocked the monster's hand off its course  
  
towards the senshi's head. Happosai had realised that the spike had been a  
  
diversion, and had prepared to knock aside the attack.  
  
His bomb exploded, and everyone cursed in their minds as they noticed that  
  
a strange, black shield-like wall flickered into being and absorbed the   
  
attack, leaving the monster to leap away.  
  
"Damn! Is this thing even *able* to be killed?!" Uranus complained loudly as  
  
she leapt away from a spike. She landed next to Mrs. Saotome, whose katana  
  
glinted in the light as it moved with surprising speed. Nodoka herself  
  
was no slouch with the sword, and had landed several blows on the thing -   
  
had it's shield not come up in time, that is.  
  
"It would appear so," the Saotome woman agreed. They both knew that if help  
  
didn't arrive soon, they would tire and take more serious hits. Happosai  
  
was the only one who had not yet been hurt in some way; Nodoka herself was  
  
bleeding from a moderately deep knash in her arm, but thankfully, she was  
  
abidexterious.  
  
A scream was heard and they both turned to see a clawed hand decending on   
  
Ukyo. Happosai and the senshi, as well as Nodoka, were too far away to be   
  
of any help. Ukyo saw her life flash before her eyes...  
  
...only to cry out in shock as Konatsu, her loyal worker, threw his body  
  
over her own, recieving a devestating blow to his side. She gasped as he   
  
fell on top of her, the demon removing it's claw when Happosai sent a bomb  
  
at its head.  
  
As the demon turned to the menace, it was suddenly knocked down by a blur,  
  
and standing in its place was one Saotome Ranma.  
  
"Take that, asshole!" He swore without realising. Crounching down he   
  
delivered several harsh blows on it's skin; the black barrier shattered   
  
when he hit it as he had made sure to add ki to his blows.  
  
He finally launched a ki-blast at point blank range, the force of the beam   
  
forcing him upwards. The monster let out a shriek as the internal energy   
  
struck it and tore off a chunk of its skin. Ranma smirked as he landed   
  
easily.  
  
"There's more where that came from," he assured the beast, but his eyes   
  
widened as he had to quickly dodge the attack of the infuriated monster. The   
  
pain seemed to only make it angry.  
  
~Damn, this thing's fast... a lot faster than the others, that's for sure!~   
  
He redirected a slash at himself, and then had to duck out of the way of a   
  
beam of dark energy. ~And just how the hell is it making those things from   
  
that dark stuff?!~ He thought, eying the energy claws the creature had with   
  
unease.  
  
Ranma found hiself on the recieving end of the daemon's attacks. He was hard   
  
pressed to dodge, and had to admit the thing was good. He wondered what had   
  
been used to train it, since he had noticed it used some strange fighting   
  
style as it attacks. He always managed to keep one pace faster though, but   
  
he knew he was running short on space.  
  
Uranus smirked as she saw the monster wince when Ranma got a few good hits in.  
  
"So you *can* be hurt, eh?" She gave an evil smile, realising it had its back   
  
to her as it had it's hands full with Ranma. She let her attack rip. "WORLD   
  
SHAKING!!"   
  
Ranma was surprised when the monster suddenly froze, but as he was about to   
  
hit it, the thing leapt to the right. He wondered why, until he saw Uranus'   
  
attack coming right at him. He cursed and leapt to the side, but he was taken   
  
by surprise, and was off-balance when he landed a short distance away.  
  
That was all the monster needed to delever a powered strike to his front. He   
  
was sent hurtling through several walls, the buildings collapsing around him.   
  
He couched up a little blood, and groaned when he felt his chest explode with   
  
pain each time he breathed in.   
  
The daemon began to slowly advance, trying to scare him. He would not give it   
  
that satisfaction, and continued trying to get up, although the pain was   
  
increasing. He needed more power, and he needed it now. He saw a small black   
  
object rapidly approaching him, and it ran straight up, looking at him.   
  
He was surprised to find out that the black thing was in fact a strange animal;   
  
it had long rabbit-like ears but the body of a cat. Ranma had seen this   
  
creature before; he was sure he had.  
  
At that moment, the two made eye contact, and he felt a strange feeling of   
  
knowing this creature. There was a name for it, he was sure, and he focused as   
  
hard as possible...when the name just sprung up in his mind.  
  
"R-Ran-oh-ki?" He asked, almost hesitant. The creaure nodded and let out a   
  
pleased cry of "MIAO!!"  
  
The second he heard it, he felt a flood of information in his mind. He closed his   
  
eyes and clutched his head, as a scream ripped itself from his lips. The pain   
  
in his mind was worse than any he had felt before. In his minds eye he could see   
  
the white sphere, and the blue section suddenly lurched, before sinking into the   
  
white sphere, which gained a slightly blue hue.   
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Ukyo gasped in horror as she heard Ranma scream. She knew the daemon was   
  
approaching her fiance, but diregared the fact as she ran towards him. When  
  
the others tryed to hold her back, she roughly shoved their hands off her, and   
  
continued.  
  
She hurried towards him, really worried. She'd never heard him scream like that,   
  
and she was afraid of what it might mean. The monster had hit him very hard, that   
  
much was obvious, and since he wasn't prepared for the strike his ki wasn't ready   
  
to dampen the impact.  
  
In her haste, she never noticed the large rock that was right in her way, until   
  
she tripped over it. Thankfully, her landing was soft...at least, until she   
  
realised just *why* it was so soft. Looking down, she realised that she had indeed   
  
fallen on top of Ranma, in what would have been a very comprimising position had   
  
the situation not been so serious.  
  
"R-Ranchan! I-I'm so sorry, I should've watched where I was going! Are you okay?   
  
Please tell me if I hurt you!" She panicked. Ranma finally stopped screaming and   
  
let off a low groan. Her heart beat rapidly as she hoped he was alright. "Ranchan?"  
  
Suddenly, Ranma's eyes snapped open. Ukyo gasped slightly in shock as she could   
  
plainly see, being as close to him as she was, that something had changed. Then  
  
she realised just what had caught her attention, and it hit her like a ton of  
  
bricks.  
  
~R-Ranma's pupils...t-they're so tall and narrow, almost like a cat's. They were   
  
never like this before though...~ Her eyes widened as his hair seemed to lift away   
  
from his head slightly, becoming somewhat spiky in appearance. ~What the hell is  
  
going on here?~  
  
She didn't have any more time to think as a loud roar came from behind the two.   
  
She froze and whipped her head around, to see that the daemon had decided to   
  
reassert its existance in their lives. Another roar was heard before it crouched   
  
and launched itself at them.  
  
Ukyo screamed in fright as she saw the thing hurtling towards her. At that moment   
  
however, Ranma also noticed what was going on. He snarled angrily as the moster   
  
was about to hit them, and Ukyo gasped as she saw three slivers of energy form   
  
in front of them.  
  
The daemon let off a howl as it was thrown backwards, and the blue-white energy   
  
took on a better definition; now three upright triangular blades whirled around   
  
the duo as Ranma helped her up.   
  
Inside his mind, Ranma was desperately trying to sort out the memories that had   
  
flooded into his mind. All of the memories of himself...that is, 'Ranma Masaki,'   
  
were sorting themselves in his mind, while he became changed forever. He searched   
  
inside himself for his ki, and got one hell of a shock.  
  
His body had changed, and he realised that he was now no longer human. He   
  
searched for more information, like why it was so, and what it meant. This in   
  
turn unlocked more memories; the words Juraian and Masu, and what it means to have   
  
their blood running through him.   
  
Snapping back back to reality, Ranma, with the 'wings' of energy still around him,   
  
gathered a ball of ki in his hand as he gently pushed Ukyo out of the way. He   
  
noticed that the ki felt different...stronger, more powerful. He disregared the   
  
fact for the moment, and concentrared.   
  
As he closed his fist around the ball of energy, it compressed slightly before   
  
shooting out of one end to form a glowing blue sword of energy. As he gave it a   
  
few practise swings, he remembered the Masaki style of Kendo, one of the best   
  
sword styles in the universe.  
  
He subconsciously called upon one of his Masu abilities, and was soon hovering   
  
easily in the air. He focused slightly, and then charged the confused daemon head   
  
on. His energy sword lashed out, hitting as many weak point as possible, while   
  
what he now recognised as the Wings of the Light Hawk swirled around him in a   
  
protective shield, deflecting any stray energy blasts.  
  
He now had the upper hand, and was literally hacking away at the monster. The   
  
thing was fast, but not fast enough.  
  
Ran-oh-ki sat on the rubble nearby, watching his master and feeling very pleased   
  
with himself. He was happy that his partner was back, but was wondering how he   
  
had gotten so fast. He telepathically informed Washuu of his confirmation on   
  
Ranma's identity.  
  
Washuu, on her end, was elated that they had finally found the elusive boy. She   
  
mentally told Ryoko of Ranma's confirmed identity and then sent Ran-oh-ki's   
  
co-ordinates to Ryo-oh-ki. She kept an eye on her scanners as she adjusted them   
  
slightly, aiming them to Nerima. Her eyes widened.  
  
"Ranma?! How can he be that powerful? He's only been gone several weeks..."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Nodoka was so absorbed in watching her son fight with new, amazing powers, that   
  
she almost didn't notice the monster that leapt for her. She was able to dodge   
  
just in time, and gasped.  
  
Uranus muttered a long line of curses as the rest of the team took their positions   
  
to fight the other daemon. It had a number of cuts and abraisions on it's ugly   
  
body, but was in no way unable to fight. From the direction it had appeared from,   
  
the group assumed it must have slipped away from Delta Team.  
  
The group immediately went on the offensive, and from her position not too far   
  
away, Ukyo glanced at Ranma. He was busy fighting the first daemon, though it was   
  
nearly dead. She turned and began to hurry across the debris to help out her   
  
teammates.  
  
She was about to reach them and go to help, when two people beat her to the punch   
  
as they appeared in a flash of light. One had those blue wing things like Ranma's,   
  
while the other, dressed in a red a black battlesuit, held a mean looking red   
  
energy sword in her hands.  
  
Tenchi and Ryoko have arrived.   
  
No sooner had they been transported to the ground were they hacking away at the   
  
daemon in front of them. As they did so, they now understood why the things were   
  
giving the Tokyo Defenders so much grief. However, they soon finished their fight,   
  
just as Ranma finished his.   
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The being of pure blackness brooded. It was not happy to learn that the six   
  
people who were his greatest threats had been fused into one. The being was even   
  
less happy to see that the powers wielded by the fusion would augment each other   
  
once awoken. The final battle would have been difficult enough against those six   
  
as separate beings, and with their fusion, it would have to use even more energy   
  
to defeat them. The being did not want to be sealed away in the void again, not   
  
after almost two millennia of imprisonment.  
  
The being knew of a worse fate though. If the fusion's allies from the other   
  
dimensions found and joined forces with him, they would have just enough combined   
  
power to totally destroy the being. That was something it did not want to happen.  
  
Reaching out though the fabric of space, the being sent streamers of darkness   
  
into the creatures of darkness that lived in four of the fusion's five 'home'   
  
dimensions, strengthening them. The being made sure to give his minions enough   
  
power to annihilate the fusion's allies in those dimensions, thus preventing them   
  
from joining forces against it.  
  
It would take time, but if all went well, the fusion would never remember the   
  
potential allies until it was far too late and they had been eliminated.  
  
Deep in the void, between the strands of time and space, the being of pure blackness   
  
*grinned*.  
  
To be continued...  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Well people, Ranma is fused and back in action, and you also know exactly what it is that   
  
he's facing. Give me some feedback on it. When Ranma hits the demon and its barrier   
  
shatters...well, I got the idea off Neon Genesis Evangelion. That is, the part when Ranma's   
  
ki neutralises the barrier - almost like two AT fields. Just in case you were interested.  
  
Oh, and ambidexterous is when you can use both hands equally, instead of being just right-  
  
handed or left-handed. You can train yourself to use both, but some people are able to do  
  
it naturally. Very useful if one of your hands gets hurt.  
  
Updated: 1/22/04  
  
Okay, this has been started. I've been meaning to get it done, but I've been working   
  
a lot on my site which, hopefully, will be up soon. I've been doing a lot of typing, and I   
  
accidentally cut my third finger badly - and it really, really hurt whenever I typed, since   
  
I use my third finger to most of it. I'm better now though, so don't worry.  
  
Okay, the story...well, I've got the first bit done. Ranma has arrived! You should have   
  
run when you could! I know where this is going...at least, up till the end of the chapter. And   
  
I know how the story ends. The thing is...it's damn hard to type from a brief overview! So,   
  
sorry Trooper1023, but I'll be making a few large changes to the story. It'll be hard, but   
  
dammit, I WILL DO IT!!!! Thank you!  
  
Updated: 1/29/04  
  
Yay! It's a SNOW-DAY! Do you realise how rare those are here in England? I have a whole   
  
day to type! (Actually, my aunt won't allow me, but one can hope.) Anyway, I've done about 3/4   
  
of the story. It's not as long as I'd hoped so far, but I plan on extending it later anyway.   
  
Washuu, Tenchi and Ryoko are now hot on Ranma's tail! Konatsu is fatally wounded! Do you   
  
know what that means? I do! It means I can spend more time typing about how he can recover...if   
  
he does! I don't really know much about the guy except in fanfiction, so I don't care if he dies   
  
or not. Why does Ukyo attract so many crossdressers anyway? Because she's one herself? Geez...  
  
Anyway, I'm on a roll here people! Ran-oh-ki is closing in on Ranma! As are the others!   
  
But what happens when they finally meet? And what of Ranma Masaki? Well, to tell the truth...I   
  
have no idea. I'll play this by ear. I hope I'm good at improvising (heh heh heh heh...) and   
  
we'll soon find out, now won't we?  
  
Updated: 2/2/04  
  
I have finished it! And...wow, it only took me, what...just under two weeks? How awesome   
  
is that?! Well, Ryoko and Tenchi have finally found Ranma. How will he deal with this new   
  
situation? Does he live with the Tendos, or go live with his OTHER parents? Eh, don't ask me. I   
  
said before, I'm playing this by ear. What I type works for me.  
  
Hey, I wonder who'll be the next fusion to come...? Oh yeah, I should probably make the   
  
daemons more powerful, and get some more battle scenes in...nice. Maybe I should let someone   
  
get killed...? Nah, just badly wounded. I don't wanna have to waste time typing sad mourning   
  
scenes.  
  
There won't be any updates for a while though, since I'm going to Florida for my over-due holiday! That's why I've posted all of these at the same time! So don't complain!  
  
Sayonara!  
  
Special Thanks:  
  
To Trooper 1023! He's let me write this fanfic after he realised he couldn't continue   
  
anymore (too many things to do)! Thanks for everything dude!  
  
The reviewers: You've been really patient with me, so here is your reward. Thanks also   
  
to my best bud and fellow fanfic writer Jen as she helped give me a few ideas!  
  
C&C to: bjhaberman@prodigy.net  
  
Find the latest of Trooper's fics at: http://Trooper1023.tripod.com/ 


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